I don’t know about you guys, but where I am going to put my bum for at least a solid half hour {minimum!} at weddings has typically been an uncomfortable affair.  Now I understand budgets are not endless, but so often I think ceremony seating is literally the ugly stepchild at the wedding.  Here, just throw some chairs over there, people can hang out in them while we go through the most important part of our day, say ‘I do’ & actually get married……. Hear me couples??  Yes yes people get excited to go to weddings to let loose & dance, but let’s get real, the big event here IS the ceremony, so treat all aspects of the ceremony with equal importance, non??  I am not saying to break the bank on seating, but what I am saying is to carve out a spot of time to actually think not just about the backdrop/arch/chuppah you name it, but the seating options that you can give your guests & special elements that can come into play to make it not just better to sit in, but look lovely too!  After all, your ceremony spot is another place to flex your decor muscles!

Now before I dive down the rabbit hole on this one, I am calling myself out on the ceremony setup that I am sharing today.  For the life of me, I can not find the actual post it came from and I am so so sorry for that.  I am huge on properly crediting everyone under the moon so do know I am not doing this on purpose.  IF you know what post this seating arrangement came from, please please tell me and I will straight away update this post!  I am fairly certain it has come from a Style Me Pretty feature, unfortunately due to some bad pinning, its a dead end tracking it back and lost in the SMP abyss.  I have tried searching the web for it and have come up with surprisingly little, so please forgive my lack of crediting for now….. perhaps the masses will let me know where its from!

Ok so let’s get into today’s WIWW feature shall we!  We are focusing in on a super gorgeous seating arrangement {trust me it is an arrangement!} from what I am pretty sure is a European wedding.  This stunning place of rest is a wonderful mix of benches, chairs & love seats adorned with lush greens, pillows & throws, but its never quite that simple….right!?

Spaces Filled With Places- I have a major big time crush on indoor set ups, outside.  There is something so truly juicy about seeing a giant open space, filled with an indoor collection of trinkets.  I actually curate a board exactly called Spaces Filled With Places devoted to collecting these gorgeous outdoor arrangements!  There is an almost naughty feel to bringing gorgeous furniture outdoors and this setup is certainly no stranger to playing this way.  Naturally the giant wood benches are certainly the hallmark for the design, but it really is the rows upon rows of simple dinning chairs that truly bring everything together.  If you look more deeply into the set up you’ll even notice that some love seats made it out to the party as well.  The mix match of furniture give a more bohemian organic vibe to the group, not to mention a more true set up from home feel.  While uniform chairs certainly have their time and place, there is a lot to be said for a grouping that looks like it came from your place and maybe the neighbors!  Creating an environment that looks like it should be in a contained space {typically indoors} out in a airy open space, gives a sense of purpose to an area, filling it, making it a room without borders!

Stained By Desire- Not to harp on color every week, but let’s face it, color is just about everything when designing.  For this arrangement however, we are speaking in a neutral tone & worrying more so about wood stain.  What makes this grouping work oh so well together is the similarly stained woods of each of the pieces.  Neither strays too far from the fold bringing an immediate harmony to the group.  Even though the seating is wildly different, it is their colors that tie them together.  What’s more, a few of the chairs have neutral fabric seating to them. Cleverly, the design team placed beautifully harmonious throws for guests to keep warm, in patterns that compliment yet are different enough from the fabric in the chairs, much like I discussed last week.  Form AND function, offer your guests comfort while furthering the decor package!

Where The Billowy Things Are-  Finishing touches are where a lot of couples can really make their ceremony seating something special.  No matter your budget there are tons of ways to dress up and up the comfort level for you guests, all it takes is a bit of planning & creating.  You’ll notice that along  with the fabric throws that the team hand selected, billowy pillows to eagerly greet guests and make their time with them that much more pleasant.  Not only are they decorative and lovely, but you can bet your sweet bottom dollar that whatever guest had the good fortunate to seat near one, they were incredibly thankful for it!  The last touch that I have  purposely left until now are the greens!  Yes, they offer nothing of comfort to the guest, some guests might even have questioned whether they were meant to actually sit on them, but man’o'man do they up the gorgeous ante!  Best that we can figure {thanks to my green thumb of a hubby!} they are some form of Exochorda x macrantha, also known as ‘The Bride’, so how do ya like that!  I wont lie, perhaps some guests didnt get it, how were they supposed to sit?!  However where there is suffering for fashion, sometimes we need to be a touch uncomfortable for decor!

These entire arrangement is so incredibly gorgeous and I imagine whomever the couple was, they were most certainly had to catch their breath when they saw this for the first time.  I should hope the guests at this outdoor fete were equally struck, not just by the design, but the areas of comfort for their convenience.  What are your favorite elements to this design?  Are you as much of a fan of bringing indoor furniture outdoors like me?!  Be sure to send along anything that you would love to have design explained, you never know it just might appear as inspiration!

If there is one thing I adore about Cali its the ability to dine Al Fresco in a gorgeous setting that samples that of the Spanish mission style ambiance.  Whats more is how perfectly the creamy stucco walls and terracotta like floors lend themselves to a really rich, deep color palette as well!  This styled session highlights so many wonderful ways to dress a table in elegance & refinement all the while paying proper homage to lush organic surroundings.   A deep berry upper layer table cloth sets the tone, while flashes of gold are present in both the under layer table cloth as well as fat bows around the chiavari chairs.  The gold serves as a much need eye pop & shimmer to an otherwise dark affair.  Beautiful gnarled wood brings a real earthy element to the table, while dressed with sliced citrus fruits, artichokes & pomegranates, creating an open cornucopia touch.  Unique blooms transport the table into a more ethereal feel while little details like single blooms & succulents are playfully entrapped in over turned glassware.  The overall effect is a wonderfully organic, rich feeling table set up that steps well away from cookie cutter & transports its guest into a twilight night under the stars!

Vendor Love

Event Venue: Aldea at Tlaquepaque, Phoenix | Event Designer: Trisha Lucy {Petals & Lucy} | Floral Designer: Community Florist | Photographer: Jill Lauren Photography

I have a real thing for table settings, when done right, setting a table properly and creatively as can be is practically art in and of itself.  When guest are presented with the {reception} room for the first time, rest assured that after the awe of the whole picture subsides, the very next thing they are looking at are your tables!  One of my most favorite boards that I curate on Pinterest focuses expressly on the art of the table setting which I have dubbed, Elegance of Table Setting.  Designing ones tables for an event is a true art but with a bit of help and design breakdown, you’ll soon enough be seeing the saucers through the forest of plates, if you know what I mean!

There has been the most chic, lovely & wondrous backyard BBQ place setting floating around for a bit now and I am super eager to discuss it on WIWW!  This gorgeous dream of a setup has color harmony out the wazoo, gentle eye breaks in the form of texture & pattern, along with a beautifully organic touch!  The full post can be found on OnceWed and as always I highly encourage you to head over to check it out!  Let’s see this light beauty shall we!?

 *Photograph by Robert Sukrachand

Color Theory:  The first element to the entire setup that really resonates is the color harmony.  Complimentary colors in the form of green & peach are the true stars here.  The varying tones of each color beautifully jive with its neighbor as each is slighty lighter {or darker} then the next.  The wonderful thing about the color scheme is that some elements, such as the rosemary sprig & some of the leaves in the planter box, contain a tonal range all within themselves!  This vibrant collection of complimentary colors delivers a truly fresh & nirvana like state to any table set up.  While the greens & peaches are spectacular, the mix of neutrals within the rest of the table serve to keep our lofty shades grounded!  In just about any color match up, neutral colors are fair game.  The rule of thumb here is simply to make sure that your tonal ranges match up.  You’ll want the right kind of whites, the right deepness of blacks, and the right earthiness of your browns.  Here, charcoal to true blacks are used, mixed with what I will call lived in whites.  Tying it all together is the light beige table cloth which is the perfect balance between the deep blacks & light whites.  Color harmony takes a lot of work, but when you get it right, there is nothing more glorious!

Pattern Party: Personally I am a huge proponent of patterns.  In most cases, if I can throw in at least one pattern, I’m a happy girl.  By design, patterns keep the eye moving, beautiful noise if you will, therefore the key is always pattern selection.  Pick competing patterns and your eyes will cry, pick just the right combos and the sky’s will sing!  The beauty to the pattern selection here is the use of two striking patterns that are not loud attention seekers.  When working with multiple patterns, the key is to select patterns that will play nice with one another.  Mixing of geometric shapes are typically a nice way to go, just make sure there is a common thread to tie them together. The pairing of these two work so well as the simple windowpane check squares in the base layer echo that of the diamond shape that is found in between the circles within the top napkin.  I bet when you first looked at the set up you didn’t even realize how very complimentary the two patterns were!  The hidden gem to the layering however is the choice of the solid black menu which provides the eye break within the pattern world and beautifully ties them all together.  Even the choice of font for the menu eloquently picks up on the thinness of the check print as does the name card which echos that of the curvier nature of the circle napkin.  Speaking of ties, the small simple black & white striped ribbon tying our napkin package together, works beautifully to counter balance those geometric shapes within the napkins.  Lastly the soft gentle textures & patterns in the floral, their leaves and even the table cloth all serve as the perfect compliment to the over all picture!

Earthy Goodness:  Perhaps my favorite piece to this puzzle is the wonderfully organic feel to the entire set up.  Starting with the simple yet oh so powerful touch of the Rosemary sprig as the perfect finishing element to the choice of the centerpiece which emulates that of how one might envision flowers to appear in a natural proper English garden.  Even the choice of using a low planter box {dark stained to beautifully harmonize with the color scheme!} brings you back to a true backyard garden feel, touching back to mother earth.  I am not sure if it is or not, but the tablecloth seems as if it might be made of  hemp, at the very least linen, either way, wonderful organic fibers that further that yummy earthy feel.

Light, bright and fresh can be wonderfully achieved with just the right elements.  Gorgeous florals, select patterns, organic or metallic, you name it, the table setting world is your oyster!  Remember just because you want a lighter {or darker} setup doesn’t mean that you can not have darker elements.  Not to get all philosophical on you, but for what is a highlight without shadow detail, and the reverse is equally as true!  Be sure to check out the full backyard BBQ wedding at OnceWed HERE.  I’d love to hear what your favorite elements in today’s WIWW are!  Are you a fan of patterns like me, or is it the organic earthy elements that touched you?  Have something you’d love to have design explained, send it in, you never know, it just might be the next WIWW!

Vendor Love

Photography by Robert Sukrachand // Event Design + Florals + Coordination by The Nouveau Romantics // Catering by14 Acre Farm // Vintage Rentals by Magpie Vintage Rentals // Wedding Dress by Leanne Marshall // Groom’s Suit byBrooklyn Tailors //  Invitations by Katherine Ahn

I try to stay as topical season wise as I possibly can and as such have been forced to turn down some lovely winter weddings & styled shoots.  There is always a ‘however‘ right?!  Such is the case with today’s beautifully styled late winter wedding shoot in Washington State. From the wonderfully rustic setting to the vintage pieces that craft the decor, it was just too hard for me to let this beauty slip through my fingers, wrong season and all!  Washington photographer Amanda Lloyd Photography took the helm, wanting to kick off 2013 in a big way with a gorgeous styled late winter session with rustic vintage touches & mother nature in her finest ranging with everything from warm sunshine to pouring rain, then heavy snowfalls!

“Zong Her of Her Couture was so amazing and provided gorgeous veils, amazing flowers, and got me in touch with Dianne’s Delights in Seattle who provided the seriously adorable cream colored ruffed cake, complete with a burlap banner style cake topper. The “dream team” as I call them were fabulous! I collected all the fun vintage pieces from the Old Main Street Spanaway Antique Mall and all the unique wood pieces, including the chevron cake plate were make by a local wood shop called “from the wood shed” in Spanaway.  Let me say that the weather for our shoot was total CHAOS! It was sunshine, then pouring rain! Then, we decided to head up to Summit at Steven’s Pass for an insanely gorgeous snowfall! It was DOWNPOURING snow! Dyan and Daniel were complete troopers and totally rocked the shoot! The weather was typical of Washington, and I loved every bit of it! I’m so over-the-moon in love with images and can’t wait to share them!”

Vendor Love

Venue: Family Cabin in Skykomish | Dress Boutique: David’s Bridal | Men’s Attire: Men’s Warehouse | Bakery: Dianne’s Delights | Handmade Goods Designer: Her Couture, From The Wood Shed | Photographer: Amanda Lloyd Photography

I love when I get submissions reading along with the curious intricacies that shaped a couple, or even a designer’s creative process, what inspired them to decor & fashion greatness.  Fun tidbit about today’s beautifully styled Black & White wedding, the inspiration came for black & white taper candles via Five Stripes!  I completely adore the idea of that and my oh my how gorgeous is the physical manifestation of this candle inspired vision!!  Set in a wonderfully industrial environment, a setting of organic whimsy was created featuring a deep wood table & mix matched chairs, a gold rimmed heirloom china collection, suspended umbrellas as a centerpiece and naturally Five Striped candles!  Our bride and groom are gorgeously styled to boot with the perfect amount of reserve with a slight vintage nod.  This session is wonderfully on trend, modern with a beautiful nod to old, whimsical and sophisticated all in the same breath!

What Storyboard Likes…

Black, White & Brown All Over-  Black & white weddings are wedding palette classic that in recent years has taken more of a main stage notice.  While I love the idea, I often find it can get boring becoming a repeat offender.  However, in the right hands, an artful design eye, the possibilities are limitless!  What I am completely in love with regarding this lil black & white wedding is the introduction of brown, be it in the from of strong organic wood, or in softened brushed golds.  Black & White is still clearly the star of the day, but with the compliments of a much strong supporting cast, the overall feel is softer & more lovely to look at.  The choice of the wood table & gold rimmed heirloom china {supplied by Rosann Konieczny, the calligrapher!} was superb & serve as the perfect accompaniment.  I would love to see more black and white weddings with dash of something extra sprinkled in there.  Its a lovely next step in the evolution of this classic color palette!

Mary Poppins Is Jealous- Let’s just say it now, how amazing are those umbrella centerpiece lights?!?!?!  And they light up for crying out loud!!  There certainly is no shortage of whimsy to this beautifully styled session, with the umbrellas serving as a stunning focal point.  Diane, owner of The Vintage Type, painted the umbrella ceilings with gold spray paint, punched holes with grommets and threaded through a cord with a bare Edison bulb. Believe it or not, these amazing umbrellas are rent-able!  I think if I could tolerate seeing an open umbrella in my life everyday, I would totally need these for my house!!

Industrial Spaces- In general I have a huge crush on just about anything rustic industrial, however when it comes to weddings, for me, it ups the ante!  Raw spaces are so unique but with such a blank canvas in the wrong hands, they can become terribly underwhelming.  As a venue industrial spaces are truly phenomenal and can take on a decor life of their own.  Tall ceilings, exposed beautifully blemished brick, weathered wood, you name, each of those gorgeous elements lend themselves perfectly to inspiring the elements you can use to craft your day.  If you allow it, the room can help you choose the right table, the perfect chairs, the overall vibe & feel.  Another wonderful thing about having your fete in a space of this nature…. the color palette options are literally limitless!!  For those of you looking to completely break the model, run as far away from cookie cutter as one can, I highly suggest checking out industrial venues in your area and I certainly suggest teaming up with a stellar design team that can truly get such an amazing space to really sing!!

Vendor Love

Gowns: Lula Kate, Courtesy of Bella Bridesmaid | Veil: Something Borrowed Bride | Hair & Makeup: Julie Swenson Beauty,KMT Beauty, Melanie Rivers Beauty | Calligraphy: Rosann Konieczny, Calligrapher | Graphic Design: The Vintage Type | Floral Design: Zook Floral Design | Vintage Rentals: The Vintage Type | Styling & Coordination: Girl Friday, The Vintage Type | Photographer: Zlata Modeen Photography