There’s a certain real wedding that we featured recently on SBW which garnered all sorts of lovely response for not only its wonderfully stylish couple, but the tremendous design done in decor & flora.  A focal point to the wedding was the bride’s bouquet which was utterly D.IV.I.N.E!!  I knew this gorgeous arrangement of blooms would make for the perfect, Why It Works Wednesday!

Firstly some house keeping, to view the full post {trust me if you have not seen it, you simply must!!} Click Here.  The vibe for the wedding as a whole was wonderfully rustic industrial with the Georgia peach as the inspiration both in textures & color palette.  The result are expertly mix matched tables with varying centerpieces ranging from vintage wood planter boxes along with hand colored milk bottles to suspended floral plank centerpieces.  Wedding decor maven  Juli Vaughn Designs crafted not only the design of the decor but the handled the blooms as well.  While the suspended centerpieces are most certainly a WIWW feature all their own, I wanted to focus on our bride’s bouquet which has stuck with me ever since putting the feature together!  It might seem like a surprise, but you would be shocked to know how many bouquets are nothing too special, if not even poorly constructed… therefore when you find a good one, you best hold onto it like a firefly at night!

 *Photograph by Jason Hales Photography

Know your blooms: Cafe Au Laut Dahlias | Coral Charm Peonies | Campanella and Juliet Garden Roses | Amsterdam Roses |Gloriosa Lilies | Billy Balls | Salmon and Orange Ranunculus | Sage

Elements at play: Tonal range {the colors}, bloom size/placing & finishing elements

“Lauren wanted a bouquet that was rustic, romantic, and sophisticated. We kept it romantic by using fluffier, soft blooms, sophisticated because of the shape, and rustic with the feathers and herbs.”

Tonal Range

The inspiration for the wedding as a whole was the good ol’Georgia peach.  Peaches bring to mind soft soft yellows, pale pinks, deeper oranges infused with a pink glow, pure orange and of course the greenery of the leaves when it grows.   Juli Vaughn expertly hand picked each bloom for its specific hue, insuring each would reflect some aspect of the naturally ombréd peaches coloring.  Blossoms were placed together to create a synergy & harmony that would echo the unique skin of our fuzzy tasty friend.  The overall effect is a not just a well designed piece but an arrangement that has a peaceful yet highly sophisticated look.

Blooms Size & Placement 

Did you know that romantic is an adjective that has action behind it?  When carving out the overall feel for the day, romantic was one of the buzzwords the team used to pull from for inspiration.  In effort to inject a romantic vibe into the bouquet, the team opted for fluffier more cloud like soft blooms.  These pillowy petals give off an incredible lusciousness, a feeling of a flush face, breath of life, even a touch of catching your breath as you view them.  All feelings a person feels when they spy the one they love for the first time, the emotions of romance blooming right before your eyes!  Ok ok, I am getting carried away with poetic license here but you get my point.  Big, soft, luscious blooms are the perfect conductor for a romantic vibe, they emote a genuine sense of love!  Just as important as the size of the blooms, each was skillful placed next to one another highlighting its neighbor in special ways.  Whether it was to build upon the color harmony, big up its friend {small blooms next to oversized}, even portray a textural fuzziness, know that each bloom had its place and with good reason.  The result is a tightly {thought not too tightly} constructed bouquet that is sizable in the choice of blooms used, not in an over use of simply too many flowers.  Each is strategic and important!

Finishing Elements

How a bouquet is wrapped is often gawked after, sometimes more so then the blooms, when done with a creative hand.  Keeping with the rustic romantic feel, along with sophisticated design, the team leaned on burlap to be the perfect underlay to the handle.  Choosing a thick finished {worth noting as often burlap is not finished, thus immediately upping the sophistication level!} burlap ribbon, the underlying layer easily gives off that rustic flavor.  Building upon the burlap, a layer of silk ribbons was added in a deeper more inspired hue then the bouquet, insuring it would stand out for all the right reasons.  Silk by nature is a delicate & highly revered fabric often associated with designer threads, therefore the choice of silk is equally working to bring the savoir faire to the design.  The handle is finished with the crème de la crème in refinement, a pheasant feather ribbon accent.  I looooove that Juli brought in the pheasant feather here with its rich browny-gray tone & spotted pattern.  Feathers are the ultimate in class and when wielded for good, triumphs everything!  The choice of burlap, silk ribbon & pheasant feathers beautifully echos the wedding buzzwords of rustic, romantic, and sophisticated.  Knowing how to wrap your bouquet is equally as important as the blooms used to make it!

This gorgeous bouquet has everything going right for it!   Wonderfully hand selected colors & full soft blooms as well as the details used to wrap the handle hearken attention to the full picture.  Flowers are such a powerful tool on your wedding day, something that can easily transport an entire room, or bride, to a whole new world, if just for a day.  Are you as equally enamored by this peach inspired bouquet as I am?  What are some of your favorite elements, the blooms, the colors, maybe the pheasant feathers?!  I’d love to know!  As always, if there is ever something that you would love to know Why It Works, please send it my way, you never know, I just may feature it!

To view the original post: Georgia Peach Inspired Hues In This Rustic Industrial Wedding With Farmhouse Chic Sophistication, CLICK HERE

Vendor Love

Ceremony Venue: St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church  | Reception Venue: Summerour Studio | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Bridesmaid Dresses: Bari Jay  | Shoes: Manolo Blahnik &Prada  | Hair Stylist: The Hair Artist  | Makeup Artist: Kristen Phelps  | Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss | Invitation Designer: Love vs Design  | Music: AMP’D Atlanta  | Rentals: Four Inch Fold &Bold American  | Florist: Juli Vaughn Designs | Caterer: Bold American  | Baker: Lush Cakery | Wedding/Event Planner: Juli Vaughn Designs | Photographer: Jason Hales Photography

There is so much to love about this beautifully glamorous wedding which ever so harmoniously blends a few different themes & design aspects into one!  Lauren Coalson Hardy & Chris Hardy are two very stylish, design loving folks, so it was only natural that a wedding with high design elements would do.  Enter the design whiz Juli Vaughn who ever so brilliantly blended together a rustic industrial feel with a soft feminine peach inspired color palette & various mixed elements which kept each table fresh & inspired.  From the unconventional florals to the completely adorable animal escort cards, its hard to escape an overall organic feel which only adds to this beautiful farmhouse fete.  Atlanta wedding photographer Jason Hales Photography, perfectly captured each and every detail as well as all the lovely little moments between Lauren & Chris, making this sweet southern stunner one of my top all time favorites!

What Storyboard Likes…

Peach As A Palette- The idea of working with an actual peach as a palette is superb!  There are some many gorgeous tones one can sample from peach skin, not to mention the earthy elements around where a peach grows.  Soft green leaves, yellow in bumble bees, & cream white blossoms.  When you think about it, its the perfect fruit for inspiration, giving off a strong feminine vibe while still firmly planted with a masculine touch.  I hope to see more couples & designers sampling from the beautiful palettes that mother nature comes stock with, just begging to be put to work!

The Prada In The Room- Let’s talk about the 800lb Prada in the room shall we!?  Seriously Lauren, I dont think I could love these shoes more & applaud you even harder for making them your wedding day kicks!  These lil beauties are so much fun, have so much spunk, & are all the while so incredibly classy, a complete home run for me!  While the Prada’s certainly steal center stage, Lauren &  Chris’s complete wedding day looks are perfection for me.  Each, from the trim cut Hugo Boss suit, to the flirty throw back Monique Lhuillier, our bride & groom look like that of modern perfection with the sweetest nod to old school.

Floral Lust- Juli Vaughn girl, you KILLED it in the floral department!!  Seriously I have major floral envy with pretty much every little aspect of this day.  Lauren’s absolutely breathtaking bouquet is just perfection.  Its equal parts whimsy, sophistication, & glam with the perfect balance of femininity!  However, lets get real here, the real show piece are the suspended swing centerpieces, AMAZING!!  I love the idea of really playing with an industrial space in this manner, not to mention giving guests another focal point level to enjoy.  When in a room with beautifully high or even vaulted ceilings, most certainly entertain taking your centerpieces off from the tables, lowering them from the sky and making them art in themselves!

Novella of the Bride…

Chris is a designer, and I am a marketing coordinator in the hospitality industry. We live in Atlanta with our dog/child Chloe. Chris & I originally met in when I was a sophomore in high school when I attended a homecoming for my boyfriend at the time’s school, and Chris, who was one of his best friends, was in our group. We shared a circle of friends, and I always had the biggest crush on him. During a college break, we randomly ran into one another and my heart jumped with excitement  but I was weary of getting involved since we lived in different states. After finishing school and moving back to Atlanta, I was determined to try to track him down. I asked every person I knew if they had his contact information since he wasn’t on Facebook. He played hard to get back at me for not going on a date with him over that college break two years prior. We spent the first year of our relationship dating long distance. Chris was getting his Masters in Design in Honk Kong. It was a big challenge, but it made us appreciate one another and made our relationship so strong. I felt like if we could make it through a year of living across the world from one another after falling in love, we could make it through anything. We have now been together 5 awesome years.

The feel we were going for was romantic, Southern-charm with a farmhouse chic theme. I love antiquing and Chris’s taste is very modern, so pairing the industrial design of the venue with the gathered, eclectic objects we used for table decor was a perfect marriage of our two styles.  We chose Summerour Studios because it was not only gorgeous but it reflected our taste and was located in our West Midtown neighborhood we love so much. The building is an old, refurbished leather shoe string factory that has the most gorgeous exterior courtyard, amazing wooden floors and wall –to-wall windows.

We are both Georgia peaches, so it made perfect sense to work from a peach color palette, mixed shades of peach mixed with jade, wheat and hints of gold & yellow. One of the coolest aspects, was the swinging benches hung from the ceiling above the tables that were decorated with coral Charm Peonies, Juliet Garden Roses, Campanella Garden Roses, Salmon Ranunculus, Billy Buttons , Sage Foliage, Wheat & even birds and bees to hint at the love in the air. Our event designer created a canopy above the dance floor using ombre peach ribbon and cafe lights. It was a dream come true to feel like we were dancing under a magical carousel.

We are beyond lucky to have such amazingly supportive family and friends. We wouldn’t have been able to go on our amazing honeymoon to Mexico without them giving us the gift of travel via our Traveler’s Joy registry. One of my closets friends did all of our makeup and a long time family friend styled our hair. I felt the most helpful thing of all was the love and support they gave us through out the  wedding planning process (often playing therapist). Not to be cheesy, but in the end, we wouldn’t be the people we are today without the help they give us everyday.

Favorite Moments: ‘That is a tough one! I think we both agree that the ceremony was the most special moment of the day. We incorporated the celtic tradtion of ‘tying the knot,’ which was very special. Aside from the ceremony , the toasts from our loved ones were so awesome, especially the speech given by my little sister who was my maid of honor. She caught me by surprise by brining up my completely embarrassing childhood imaginary clown friend. Our photographer, Jason, captured the sequence of the speech perfectly-from the look of shock on my face once I realized what she was saying to me trying to grab the microphone from her to laughing until I was in tears. ”

Vendor Love

Ceremony Venue: St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church  | Reception Venue: Summerour Studio  | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Bridesmaid Dresses: Bari Jay  | Shoes: Manolo Blahnik & Prada  | Hair Stylist: The Hair Artist  | Makeup Artist: Kristen Phelps  | Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss  | Invitation Designer: Love vs Design  | Music: AMP’D Atlanta  | Rentals: Four Inch Fold & Bold American  | Florist: Juli Vaughn Designs | Caterer: Bold American  | Baker: Lush Cakery  | Wedding/Event Planner: Juli Vaughn Designs | Photographer: Jason Hales Photography

A little bit country and a lotta bit rock’n'roll, Nicole DeJarnatt & Fred Blythe’s gorgeous Colorado wedding really hit all the right notes!  Throwing a light hearted outdoor summer affair, Nicole & Fred utilized the spacious grounds of Planet Bluegrass Ranch, to celebrate their day!  Guests were seated among the trees while the ceremony, dusted with yellow petals, was held al fresco!  After the couple made it official, guests were invited to play in lawn games such as croquet or even give the custom made hula hoops a go!  Strong vibrant hues greeted guests at every turn, while specially made spice packets from the couple’s friend’s shop, Savory Spice Shop, were the perfect unique guest gift!  Guests celebrated the night away, dancing to live music with Nicole & Fred, really getting into that Bluegrass feel!

What Storyboard Likes…

Down Home Goodness- I am loving Planet Bluegrass Ranch as a wedding space!  This gorgeous ranch is over 20 booming acres of awesome naturalness with a touch of rustic charm.  Having the opportunity to use a space like this gives a couple a lot of opportunity to do some really fun things with their day.  Nicole & Fred really encouraged their guests to play in lawn games, even giving custom made hula hoops a go!  Inviting guests to kick off their shoes, get some grass between their toes and spend the evening dancing away as they harnessed the essence that is Planet Bluegrass!

Bring It Color!- I love a couple that isn’t afraid of strong bold attention grabbing colors!  Nicole & Fred, under the stellar design eye of Cori Cook Floral Design, toyed with some very vibrant hues that rivaled their surroundings!  Nicole’s bouquet in particular is a work of art from the Cabernet & orange creamsicle dahlias to the perfectly muted white gooseneck and wax flowers, this bouquet is a bluegrass girl’s dream!  The Pièce de résistance for me are the stunning red poppies placed in an almost  trail like manner, leading your eye down to the beautifully wrapped lace handle.  Utilizing a piece of lace florish like that is utterly divine!

Just A Country Girl, In Some Country Boots- Let’s face it, Nicole is one stunning Bluegrass bride!  The choice of the fit & flare lace Watters gown was not only beautifully fitted to Nicole’s personality but spot on for the ranch affair!  Complimenting the lace frock were Nicole’s textured locks which were pinned into an updo, from which a simple yet impactful long veil tumbled from!  To finish her country look, Nicole choose a covet worth pair of Lucchese Boots, 1883 Precious Metal Python Print, to be exact!  These boots are stunning, much like our bride!

Novella of the Bride…

*A spot about the couple…

Fred and I met in summer 2008 at one of the first “Grateful Dead Tuesday’s” at Zio Romolo’s Alley Bar in Denver. Neither of us had ever been there before, so we like to say it was a fateful Grateful Dead night.  Vegetarians since the early part of our relationship, we like to say we’re each others’ “soy mate,” although we shared a hamburger on our very first date at a Colorado Rockies baseball game.

“Frecole” (pronounced freckle) is our celebrity name and pretty much what everyone calls us.

We love to travel both abroad and domestic, and our hobbies include skiing, camping, hiking, biking, attending music festivals, cooking and running an occasional 7K. We climbed Mt. Fuji together and plan to run a ½ marathon next fall.

Fred grew up in Enid, Oklahoma and earned his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. After graduation he headed out west to try his luck as a ski bum in Aspen, Colo. He realized he wasn’t cut out for couch surfing and decided to pursue his graduate degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He graduated with a master’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting (MSBA). He spent 11 years in Vermont before the mountains of Colorado called him back home. In fact, the night we met, Fred had just closed on his new loft in Denver. He jokes that he got a girlfriend and a condo in the same week. Fred currently works as a Sr. Project Manager/Business Analyst for the Colorado Community College Systems by day and occasionally plays fiddle in a local bluegrass band, Modern Whiskey Market, by night.

Nicole is a Colorado native and grew up in Grand Junction, Colo. She attended Cottey College (an all-women’s school) in Nevada, Mo. and received her degrees in journalism and anthropology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She currently works as a senior editor in the Denver newsroom at Business Wire.

*Theme & Venue Selection…

Unbridled glee! Our whimsical, festival-themed wedding (a.k.a. FRECOLE FEST 2012) at Planet Bluegrass Ranch was a picture-perfect day along the North St. Vrain River filled with bikes, lawn games, homemade hula hoops, fruit pie, a silo and live music. The overall tone of the wedding was completely relaxed allowing guests to enjoy the 20-acre ranch and all its natural beauty.

We have attended a handful of festivals at PBR (Rocky Grass, Folks Festival, Mabon, Kinfolk Fest) and wanted our wedding to have the same carefree tone, where our friends/family could enjoy each other’s company while listening to amazing music and dancing (and hooping) in the Colorado sunshine.

Planet Bluegrass holds a special place in our heart and has been the site of many of our relationship “firsts.” I introduced Fred to Planet Bluegrass on one of our first dates (Folks Festival 2008), and it’s also where we got engaged (Folks Festival 2011). And this summer, Fred’s bluegrass band has been accepted into the band competition during Rocky Grass Fest. He will be playing in the Wildflower Pavilion on the same stage where our wedding band performed just one year prior, which is a really cool way to celebrate around our one-year anniversary.

We looked at numerous venues in Colorado (always with PBR in the back of our minds) and in the end, we both felt strongly about giving our (and our families) hard-earned money to a place that we loved and believed in, and where we knew we’d return year after year. We take pride in knowing that our wedding helped support Planet Bluegrass, which brings amazing music to Colorado and helps nurture talented artists–big and small. Moreover, we introduced 175 guests from around the world and a handful of new vendors to the venue, which we hope will encourage a new generation of festival-goers.

Planet Bluegrass strives to “re-use, recycle, and compost whenever possible.” That “green” philosophy fit nicely with what we envisioned would be a sustainable event. Planet Bluegrass’ preferred caterer, A Spice of Life, also kept true to that vision. Not only did we have a 100% vegetarian menu, but A Spice of Life is also a Zero Waste facility, working with PBR to be as kind to the planet as possible.

Cori Cook Floral created an assortment of wildflower centerpiece arrangements and designed bold, colorful, loose and textured bridal party bouquets, which perfectly matched the happy and free-spirited feel of the celebration. The men’s boutonnieres incorporated sprigs of wheat in honor of the groom’s Oklahoma roots.

We worked closely with A Spice of Life catering to create a unique, completely vegetarian menu that even the most die-hard meat-and-potato-eating guests LOVED. (We have been vegetarians for 4.5 years and weren’t willing to compromise our beliefs by serving meat at our own wedding). The dessert table was an assortment of in-season fruit pies handmade by Shamane’s Bake Shoppe.

*A little help from their friends…

Our friend Sarah Gagne and her son, Rye Gray, helped us make all the hula hoops. We bought the tubing at Home Depot and using a YouTube tutorial, we filled them with water, marbles and beans; sealed them with a hairdryer; and wrapped them in colorful electric/duct tape with wild colors and patterns. At the end of the wedding, we happily gave the hula hoops away to our nieces/nephews and other children to enjoy.

Our dear friend and Savory Spice Shop–Boulder owner, Dan Hayward, donated hand-crafted seasonings to spice up guests’ night and served as the official party favors. The spice packets, which were hand-tied with twine and featured the couple’s name and wedding date, boasted landmark Colorado names like Wash Park and Colorado Plateau.

The bride’s family (step-dad and great uncle) made vintage signs using lumber from an old school house that paired nicely with the rustic ranch details, and complemented the bride and groom’s western footwear.

The matron of honor’s mom, Gayle Gerson, is a Grand Junction, Colo.-based artist who created a one-of-a-kind concert-like poster to serve as the official wedding invitations. The posters were hand-rolled and placed inside self-sealing poster tubes for delivery. Gayle has known Nicole since she was in 4^th grade and was also her high school English teacher.

Bridesmaid and childhood friend Jennifer Schmidt of Jen’s Hems in Grand Junction, Colo. designed and created the colorful flower girl dresses, which included a touch of vintage French Alsace lace along the neck line. The lace was taken from a passed-down wedding dress that belonged in the bride’s family. The lace was also incorporated in the bridal bouquets and in Nicole’s wedding bracelet, which was also handmade by friend and Kansas City-based jewelry designer Laura J. Timmons of Vintage Moon Creations.

Nicole’s former boss and friend, Laura J. Holloway, received her online certification/ordination and served as the couple’s officiant for the wedding celebration.

*Memories for a lifetime…

We were fortunate to have so many friends and family actively involved in the wedding. Fred’s favorite moment was dancing with his nieces and nephews and introducing them to his passion for bluegrass. My favorite memory was the toasts that our MOH/best man gave; they were outstanding and very personal. I have been friends with the MOH since 4^th grade and Fred met his best man in 5^th grade so they truly know us and love us and support our marriage 100%, which was very apparent in their touching tributes, which I have printed and plan to frame for the house.

Vendor Love

Venue: Planet Bluegrass Ranch/Wedding Dress: WTOO Waters Bridal Lycette Gown/Alterations: Nadine Hooper of Boulder Bridal/Bridal Shoes: Lucchese Boots – 1883 Precious Metal Python Print/Veil: Nadine Hooper of Boulder Bridal/Bridal Jewelry: Vintage Moon Creations/Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Angelo #7143/Flower Girl Dresses: Jennifer Schmidt of Jen’s Hems/Hair & Makeup Stylist: Jen Murphy/Groom’s Suit: Perry Ellis/Groom’s Hat: Goorin Bros./Groom’s Boots: Ariat via High Country Western Wear/Invitation-Poster Designer: Gayle Gerson/Transportation: CU Buffs Bus via the University of Colorado/Photo Booth: The ModPod (Elevate Photography)/Music Ceremony: Eamon Alger/Music Reception: PKB – Pete Kartsounes Band /Lighting-Sound: PBR Sound Engineer/Rentals: Flex Rentals/Florist: Cori Cook Floral Design/Caterer: A Spice of Life /Party Favors: Savory Spice Shop/Microbrews: Palisade Brewing Company/Baker: Shamane’s Bake Shoppe /Signs: Our Hobby to Your Home/Officiant: Laura J. Holloway-Pivot Communications/Photographer: Elevate Photography

Black couture wedding gowns have quietly crept into the wedding world, taking a strong hold on what is fashion forward.  Black wedding dresses push the conventional notion of the traditional bride, wrapping the black gown wearer in a cloak of mystery.  There is a sophistication and allure that is incredibly hard to to deny with these stunning black gowns.  They captivate us not  just because they stray so far from the norm, but because they are equally, if not more eloquent, in their design.  Breaking the mold already by being black vs traditional white, designers feel a freedom when creating a black gown, a freedom that does not restrict them and as such, works of art are born.  This shoot puts together 2 stunning & gorgeously polished looks to inspire brides looking to step out from under the white veil.  From the form fitting mermaid gown of a more refined taste to the show piece Marchesa that embodies strength & power, these 2 seductive looks can easily entice the most traditional of brides to break out of the white box.

How To Get That Look…

Marchesa Dress:

• Vintage one-of-a-kind headband / sash from Merci New York, circa 1960s.  Price upon request.
• Vintage chandelier earrings from Merci New York, circa 1950s. Price upon request.
• Classic black python-embossed clutch with Bette Brooch, Merci New York for Madame Mathilde, $225
• Classic Pearl Python Clutch with Bette Brooch, Merci New York for Madame Mathilde, $395

Anna Maier Ulla Maija Dress (mermaid)

Left Wrist:

• Olive Alyn Bangle, Madame Mathilde, $95
• Sapphire Alyn Bangle, Madame Mathilde, $95
• {the gold cuff in the center is from the Merci New York stylist’s kit and unfortunately, no longer for purchase}

Right Wrist:

• Gold Deco-Dence Bracelet $230
• Gold Emma Bangle $55
• Gold Deco Earrings $125
• Gold Deco-Dence Necklace $285

Vendor Love

Location: The Elevated Acre
Model: Ashton Swinford
Stylist: Jacqueline Weppner from Merci New York
Hair & Makeup: Eden Di Bianco
Cake: Sweet Element
Flowers: Sarah Tallman Design
Mermaid Dress: Anna Maier Ulla Maija Spring 2013
Shear Lace Dress: Marchesa Spring 2013
Dresses courtesy of:  Gabriella Bridal New York
Photographer:  Casey Fatchett Photography