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 am really excited to announce a new weekly feature on the Wednesday of each week called Why It Works Wednesday.  I have been marinating on this for sometime now and am excited to finally get the ball rolling.  Before I jump into the first post, allow me to explain what exactly WIWW {no why I am writing that out each time } is.  Each week I will be featuring one gorgeous element to a wedding {in photograph form} that has been pinned, tumbled, stumbled you name it.  Class favorites if you will, be it from the weddingverese or directly from our amazing features here.  The goal of WIWW is to explore what elements about said table set up, cake, bridal look etc, are at play that make it the amazingingness that it truly is.  Often everyone saves images for later, never fully understanding the why of how it all works so well together.  My goal for this section is to literally laundry list the elements at play, hopefully bridging that design gap from editorial awesome to something everyone will be able to take something away from to become more stylish!  Let’s get started shall we!?

Today’s feature comes to us from Ruffled Blog: Mint and Gold Winter Wedding with Utah Events by Design at the helm of things.  While the feature is indeed a winter time styled shoot, the color scheme is a classic, one that easily transcends time of year.  Our focus for today will be the place setting portion of the shoot which is dripping in minty golden goodness.

 *Photograph by Pepper Nix Photography

In my humble opinion, there are two very major elements at work in the design aesthetic along with three complimenting lesser features.  The two design big boys in this table setting are texture and shape.  Let’s tackle texture first.  There are a quite a few interesting surfaces within this setting, starting from the ground up, the table itself provides a smooth organic surface leading the way for a what is in contrast, a busy plate setting.  The base charger has a gently rolling wave pattern, while the dinner plate has a strong and powerful wood grain impression.  The build from the smooth table, to gently rolling wave to forceful wood grain builds much like a crescendo does in music.  Serving as the perfect punctuation, the softly frosted salad plate at the top, with snowflake print, compliments both the gentle & bold patterns, keeping the texturing in motion.  The plate in this stack that is perhaps the unspoken star, the anchor if you will, is the simple cream one with gold rim.  This piece serves as a calm in the storm, something to break up the chaos if you will, yet hold it all together so beautifully.  Without this mid layer, the various textures would be simply competing with one another, screaming for attention.  It is ever so important to always provide the eye with a break, a calm, when designing just about anything.  Two other strong textures on the table are the bold square beaded napkin ring, beautifully set against the smooth napkin and the enchanting glittered apple set up in its own smooth palace.  Each works wonderfully with the table as a whole, not to mention how it echos the plate setting in both forceful & smooth textures.

The other big element at work is shape.  The most obvious is the juxtaposition of the softened snowflake shape of the menu against all of the round on the table. By choosing a die cut snowflake menu, the team easily brought in a subtle winter feel as well as finding the perfect counter shape to not only compliment all the round {Plates, glassware, vase base, rose blooms, apple, even the spoon} but beautifully detract from it all the same.  Its a much needed break in the table, one that provide a focal pop.  Believe it or not, the cutlery is also hard at work & carefully chosen against the voluminous plates.  Thin, almost wiry, cutlery balances out the volume of the plate stack, offering a lovely change of pace.  Even the billowy lazy fold of the napkin in a strong & structured square napkin ring serves as another guiding piece to the shape game.  Each working to harmonize with the other while being a standout on its very own.

The three smaller elements of design that are equally as important are color choice, lines and the apple.  The tones of soft mint & muted gold are a wonderful departure from the screaming hot mint & brassy golds we typically see.  These relaxed tones allow for a calmer, more soothing feel to the table, one that creates an inviting & welcoming table.  Lines are quietly playing in the background, from the wood slates in the table to the paralleling table runners, each creating a contrasting movement against the plates, cutlery & so forth.  There is a quite motion to the table, reinforcing the soothing nature of the color choices.  Lastly, the apple.  While it might seem a trivial thing, I absolutely love it.  It is the whimsy the table needs and wonderfully pairs with the organic feel of the wood table.  Its a simple touch, but one that serves to bring a spot of life into such a soothing environment.

So what do you think of this gorgeous  setting?  What elements are you loving and likely to borrow for your own designs?  What are you feelings on the softened mint and muted golds, are you a fan of toning them down?  I would love to hear what your thoughts are!  Likewise I would love for you to send me beautiful set ups that you’d like to see featured on Why It Works Wednesday, so please send them along!  Xo~ Jess

To view the full feature {and you should its amazing!!} on Ruffled Blog, Click Here

Shoot Location: Sandy, UT / Photographer: Pepper Nix Photography / Event Design, Planning, and Table Decor: Michelle Cousins of Utah Events by Design / Shoot Venue: La Caille / Wedding Flowers: Urban Chateau Floral / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier “Candy” via Alta Moda Bridal / Bridesmaids’ Dress: Alfred Sung via Lily and Iris / Hair: Kali Wengreen / Makeup: Kristen Packard / Wedding Cake: Cake-a-licious / Table and Flatware:Diamond Rental / Wedding Invitations: Freshly Minted Invitations / Calligraphy: Distinctive Inscriptions Calligraphy

If there is one thing above all that I love & appreciate the most about snow, it is how it seems to create this magical world where time & sound simply…. stop.  Have you ever noticed that…how when its snowing, it seems as if the world couldn’t  possibly be more peaceful?  Winter weddings are able to capture this very charm, there by creating an almost surreal dream like world.  While most brides covet the summer for their fete, its the truly special brides that know & appreciate the power that is winter, opting to capitalize on its beauty.  A team of amazing vendors from the heart of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula joined together to craft a snow globe winter wedding fantasy to inspire future couples.  Allowing nature’s true beauty to supply the rustic elements, the team added touches like moss, deer antlers, and candles to vintage ladders, sleds & the tablescape.  Elements like old skis, snow shoes & figure skates were used as brilliant decor touches to inject the perfect Après Ski feel.  Bringing winter full circle, the bride was styled like an elegant snow princess with snowflake jewelry & a winter cape to keep warm.  This styled shoot highlights the magic that can unfold with winter weddings & I truly hope to see more adventurous brides going this route!

What Storyboard Likes…

Moss & Antlers- I have a serious thing for moss in design of late.  Moss is such a wonderful, easy to work with organic element that I even used it when I designed my brother-in-laws wedding.  Moss has a natural association with storybooks, you know, the bed of moss that the princess lays in and all, that it often takes on a magical form all its own.  The spongy earthy goodness is the perfect way to bring mother nature to the party, naturally complimenting pretty much any color palette.  Another choice natural element {one that is defiantly a hot wedding trend} are antlers.  I can’t say exactly why but there most certainly is a love affair going on with antlers in the decor department & I couldn’t be more on board myself to be honest.  I love their stark bone color & earthy element they undoubtedly bring.  Maybe its a Narnia thing…

Winter Wedding Sexy- Yeah you heard me, sexy!  For whatever reason weddings aren’t exactly associated with sexiness, but lets get real here, why shouldn’t they be?!  There is something oh so very yummy about the idea of cuddling up with your love.  Laughing & canoodling over hot tasty beverages.  Why should winter weddings be any different?!  You’ve got your honey, your in a magical white winter land, of course your going to want to be close!  Even though this shoot is perfectly PG there is something electrifying all the same about this snowy mossy affair, don’t you think!?

A Snowy Princess- If your after a winter wedding bride, there are some truly fun details you most certainly can {and should} play with!  The most obvious of course is a gorgeous winter cape.  In no other time of year can you rock a gorgeous cape that is as much a part of your overall look, as it is a simple accessory.  Whether you want to keep it pure white or inject everything from neutral colors to print, winter capes are an awesome accessory that every winter bride should play with!  Another sweet touch, much like our bride here, jewelry that gives a solid nod to winter is a lovelyoption, those made of diamonds will sparkle just like the glistening snow!  There is no rule for hair or dress when it comes to winter fetes, but those brides looking to rock a full lace sleeve, this is your time for sure!  Winter brides deserve to look like a snow princess, embody all the wonderfully fun elements of the winter wonderland!

Vendor Love

Dress Store: A Bride’s Choice
Jewelry: Vintage Kisses,Wood Jewelers
Hair Stylist: Jessica Mariin Professional Hair & Make Up
Floral Designer: Forsberg Floral
Baker: Superior Treats
Event Designer: Knots & Kisses
Photographer: Wren Photography

Deep rich colors, pumpkins, gourds, even crisp leaves are all elements that are heavily associated with the Fall.  What if I told you those very same elements are completely fair game for winter weddings too?  While these fall inspired touches might leave a heavy autumn finger print, its all in how you use them and the environment that you create!  This styled shoot creates a rustic setting, with deep saturated colors, draws on powerful silk blooms, & gives our bride a bit of a modern day Marie Antoinette inspired style.  The result is a  fresh look at a way to style up a winter wedding without throwing holly & red all over the place!

What Storyboard Likes…

Set The Table- There are so many grand things working here.  I choose grand for a reason, as to me, there is something about the table that does in deed, feel grand.  Starting with the table itself, utilizing a worn antique brings a warm feel to the setup, perfectly lending itself to a winter wedding touch.  Rich strong colors were literally draped over our table in the form of a fabric runner, fully covering things from end to end.  Keeping the fabric runner heavy & ‘bunched’ along the table creates an sense of elegance as well as gives another height line to the overall table set up.  A tall centerpiece of branches along with silk blooms are used to bring drama & height, while creating an explosion of warm rich hues.  A clear vases was a clever choice for the centerpiece, allowing the nature look of the branches to show, tying together with the earthiness of the wood table, as well as the fresh cut wood ’placemats’.  Simple, earthy & rich in color, this table is a deliciously warm & dramatic place to entertain.

Texture- I am a big proponent of incorporating various textures & surfaces in an overall design scheme.  Using pieces with a more defined, coarse texture, in the right place, can truly set the design apart from the day to day humdrum.  In this styled shoot, there are a few various places texture is injected that really help to bring the overall aesthetic together.  The most obvious being the rough bark of the cut wood ‘placemats’, not only does it bring an organic feel, but the coarse bark really pops against the smooth table.  The table itself, believe it or not, also plays host to a lesser defined texture all its own.  With the naturally acquired nicks & bumps over time, this vintage piece brings warmth & comfort.  As I note below, the silk blooms also have wonderful texture, while our bride’s gown, adorned in lace & tulle is a focal point of texture all its own.  Last but certainly not  least is the very simple yet attention stealing two tier cake with textured buttercream frosting.  I love a good texture!

Silk Blooms- I have never been a fan of silk flowers.  Call it a product of being a kid in the 80′s, going to too many  homes that had silk flowers all over them, covered in fine dust, just…staring at you.  I dont know exactly what it is, but they arent my choice.  HOWEVER, I gotta say, I am really loving the silk  flowers here!  Did you realize they were silk??  There is something about the bloom structures, the textures in the fabrics used & the deep rich colors that are really jiving for me.  On top of all of that, I love how they are arranged & assembled, it really truly works for me.  So ok fiiiiine, if and only if I have silk flowers like this, they can stay!

Vendor Love

Venue: Fashion Farm
Event Designer: Glass Slipper Weddings
Cake Designer: Custom Cakes by Megan
Makeup Artist: The Red Stiletto
Photographer: Melissa Jordan Photography

Pretty much the moment you get engaged the people around you in your life feel the need to impart on you their opinions & wisdom about what to do and what not to do at your wedding.  Some of it will be common sense (you’d think), some things will be beyond your control, some completely outlandish & while others will indeed be geniune pearls that really ought to be listened to.  An important thing to realize when people are throwing these gems your way, is the reason they feel a certain way is because of the experiences they themselves have had in the past, meaning, someone did or didnt, get it quite right.  Think about it.  You yourself have attended a wedding or two and I am sure there are things that left an impact on your, good or bad.  Things to learn from.

Whilst creating killer decor elements, picking out just the right floral arrangements, choosing the perfect cake design and so on might feel like the most important things to you, there is something more important to concern yourself with, I feel.  There is a sense of entitlement that surrounds the couple that I vehemently disagree with. Yes, the day in about you, your love & yes you want to be a pretty princess BUT take out the marriage part, and what are you left with?  A party, an affair, an event.  Something that to truly pull off with success requires forethought beyond that of yourself and what makes you happy.  To throw a truly great event  there are things that need to be considered and executed to ensure that your guest, who possibly travel from a far, taken time out of their lives, and so on, to celebrate you, actually have the best time that they can.  It IS important, please understand that.  There are some small things that can be done to ensure the best time for everyone, not just the bride & groom.  Let’s have a look.

Drink Me

Sounds simple enough right?  Sure my dear caterer, please throw a few carafes of water on a table before the ceremony incase anyone by chance wants some.  Hum, wrong, trust me they will.  Sorry to be the one to tell you, and your caterer should know better, but unless your having a very small wedding, that simply wont cut it.  Straight out, it wont be enough.  I can not tell you the number of weddings I have been to with exactly this set up.  The water goes in about 5 mins and unless the staff around is superb, most often it is NOT refilled well enough.  *Summer time weddings, this is exponentially more important!

Having beverages upon your guests arrival is crucial.  I can not begin to express this enough.  Think about it, when someone comes to visit at your house, what is one of the first things you do?  Offer them a beverage.  Same good hostess rules apply here, not just in being a good host, but in keeping your guest hydrated & happy.  Believe me, liquids equal happy, sounds silly, but its very true.  I suggest, and I myself used, beverage dispensers.  It not only do they provide you with a large enough amount of liquids to keep your guests happy, its another area you get to play with decor!  Double win!

Eat Me

With the exception of my own wedding, I have yet to be to a wedding that has given me anything to even nibble on, until long after I have arrived prior to the ceremony, stood around until  the ceremony happened, sat through the ceremony, waited for the couple and bridal party to head out, and then waited around for the caterering staff to work through the now truly starved entire guest list.  Unless your that crafty lady that sits in the back, throws elbows to get in line first, OR stands right where the passed orderves are coming out, you can factor more time into the food in belly equation.  Its unfortunate but true, but guests do not arrive with full bellies, it simply doesnt work that way & as such, people get hungry, fast!  Eating is also an activity, something moves the event along.  Putting guest in a situation where they become famished for food is not a good experience and something that is easily avoidable.

For our own wedding, we decided to impart our love of popcorn on everyone.  Before our guest even arrived, a vintage popcorn machine was filled to the brim with freshly popped popcorn complete with adorable paper bags for our guests to fill.  There isnt a need to go over board, but having something, even a small nibble for your guests, keeps the hungry at bay, & in their minds, they arent racing through the wedding to the parts where they get feed.  The pace slows down for them and they are more apt to be a happier part of your day, enjoying each step right there along with you.  Not instead stalking a server for the 5th time to figure out when on earth they will see the first signs of food.

Heat Me, Cool Me

No matter the time of year that your having your wedding, something else to consider is the general comfort of your guests at all phases of your day.  If your wedding is during a particularly hot time of year, consider the shade factor, possibly adding some fans, giving your guests areas of relief.  Umbrella tables are a wonderful source of additional shade as well as some super creative ideas I have seen on Pinterest with floating fabric lifted up by balloons…looove these!   *Make sure these shaded areas are proportionate to number of guest you will be having.  One umbrella table probably isnt going to cut it, if you get my drift.  Something else to play with are your ceremony programs.  Most people are likely going to use them as ways to fan themselves off anyway, so why not make them into actual fans!      PS- Hot also equals thirsty guests, so this reinforces the importance of what I was saying above!

Likewise, having a wedding in a cooler time of year?  Make sure that your guests will be warm enough.  I love when I see weddings with baskets of wraps for the ladies.  I mean, lets be honest, it is the ladies that are always chilly right?!  But in all seriousness, this is an extra step that your guests will really appreciate & remember.  Worried about the additional cost of wraps?  There are plenty of places online, as well as all  kinds of discount shops around that one can truly find the right ones, at the right price.  Remember, its a one night covering, it doesnt need to be cashmere ladies!

I hope these simple 3 things help you create the most perfect wedding day…for everyone. It really is important to consider simple things like having plenty of beverages handy, food to nibble on, and ensure your guests temperature, to make sure that things go as beautifully as you deserve.  I really hope you heed my word on the food & drink pre-ceremony especially.  I can not stress enough how big of a game changer this will be to your guests.  Practically every one of our guests made a point to thank us (some repeatedly) for considering those simple things for them & how much it enhanced their enjoyment of the day.  Take this as a gentle lesson in how to make your day….awesome!  I also really hope to hear from you guys about your thoughts on these 3 things as well as some possible other terrific things to do.  Throw some love this way!  Can’t wait to hear what you guys think!  Xo-Jess

Photo Credits:

Top 3 Photos by Sarah DiCicco Photography

Last Photo by Maggie Harkov