Rustic Chic Halloween Wedding

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If you aren't a city girl and are looking for a laid back yet chic wedding, this inspiration board may be right up your alley! There are so many details about this board I love...the bright orange flowers, hanging candles and assorted pumpkins top the list. A few more ideas to consider...

• Orange shoes for the bride (love the ones here)
• A pumpkin carving table for the kids (must include pumpkin carving tools and stencils)
• Pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese icing for the wedding cake (had a slice from Publix this week and it was delish!)
• Exiting on the back of a vintage truck - got inspired watching this amazing video
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HAPPY WEEKEND AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

P.S. Check out the Halloween themed rehearsal dinner over on SMP today!

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Credits: Zoom Photography (3), Penny Silvia

Black & White (+ orange) Chic Halloween Wedding

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This year Halloween falls on a Saturday, so I got inspired to put together a wedding inspiration board for future brides out there who might find themselves getting married on Halloween one day. Black and white are the dominant colors for this formal wedding, but pops of orange are brought in to add a little vibrant Halloween flair! Here are just a few additional things I would incorporate into this elegant affair if I were the event planner:

• Orange Thing - this signature martini from a local(and delicious) restaurant in town would be a fun way to spice up your drink menu...I'm all about signature cocktails :)
• Pass out masks like this to liven up the dance floor
• Orange gift boxes(tied with a black ribbon) filled with chocolate candy for favors

If you haven't discovered Style Me Pretty's Style Circle, you must check it out. Since I don't have photoshop, I've found myself popping over there from time to time to design a few boards. If this wedding is too formal for your taste, stop by tomorrow for more fun Halloween inspiration!
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Credits: Neysa Ruhl Photography, Viva Bella Events, Belathee, Jessamyn Harris, Jose Villa, Docuvitae, Neysa Ruhl Photography, Viva Bella Events, Allyson Magda

Fall Masterpiece

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I was over on Clover and Bee yesterday and stumbled upon this gorgeous fall tablescape. I'm speechless!! I mean is this serious eye candy or what??! Natalie from Hello Darling in Chicago is the designer behind this AMAZING masterpiece, and let me just say WOW what a talent! I've never really loved the color orange, but the combination of colors she uses in the linens and flowers makes this table warm and inviting (and so chic!). I am literally sitting at my computer swooning over the combination of textures that add depth to the table. From the succulents to the driftwood to the pine planters to the hanging candles and finally to the orchids...this table had me at hello!
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Photo via Clover and Bee

A Few Things I Have Learned About Pumpkins...

1. Carving pumkins is a lot harder than you think its going to be. I thought for sure my carved pumpkin would be genious...but its just about average, maybe.
2. Pumpkin carving tools exist and if you can find some DEFINITELY get yourself a set! But don't be too forceful with them because I broke one of the tools, which is maybe why my pumpkin isn't as fabulous as I intended.
3. Pumpkin seeds are the opposite of delicious no matter how you cook them (we tried seasoning them and then roasting them in the oven, and also cooking them in a skillet - neither were edible).
4. My BF's obsession of Texas and the Longhorns can even extend into Halloween...who knew?

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pumpkin carving tools!

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Dixie guarding the pumpkins!
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So, I was having a tough time getting a good picture of our pumpkins. The first picture is with the porch light on and the pumpkins lit (and a camera flash), and the second is with the porch light off (and no flash - I really needed a tripod for that shot). As you can see I went with a very traditional scary face pumpkin and my BF carved a longhorn. Which one do you like better?

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Happy Carving!

6 more days...

...until Halloween! Ahhh...I love Halloween! Probably because that's when I met my BF for the first time. He was dressed like Don Johnson from Miami Vice and let me just say he looked pretty good despite his powder blue suit and lime green shirt. I haven't gotten anything together this year for my costume and am beginning to wonder if I have enough time? Any suggestions out there?? In the meantime, I will be carving my pumpkin tonight...hopefully it will look much better than the last one I carved with the BF. We were trying to be creative and spell BOO...it didn't turn out so great unfortunately. If you aren't a master pumpkin carver(like me) then here are a few images to inspire you to add some glam instead to your pumpkin this year.

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Photos via BHG

Weekend Links...sort of

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I was planning on posting a few of my favorite links from the week - giving you a mix of parties, weddings, invitations, halloween treats, etc. BUT after seeing Jessica's wedding, everything else just seemed to lose its luster in comparison. If you haven't seen her wedding here or here, snap to it! You won't be disappointed...I promise!!
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Photo via Jose Villa
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Bamboo Plates to the Rescue!

Have you ever hosted a dinner party with more guests than the china you have in your cabinets? (If you are married, this question probably doesn't apply to you). This is the story of my life! I've been collecting Juliska dinner plates for a couple of years now, but I still don't have enough to accomodate my supper club of 14. Usually I'm running over to my sister's house to borrow extra plates (she just started collecting juliska too). But, sometimes its just too much work to lug china from house to house. So, what do you do in order to avoid paper/plastic plates? Use bamboo! I was over at a friend's earlier this year where she served dinner on these fabulous bamboo (disposable) plates from World Market. And, depending on the food you serve, these plates CAN be washed and used again! I love their rustic look...how perfect for a fall dinner party!
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Photo via World Market

Wreaths

Whenever I think of wreaths, I think of the classic Christmas greenery wreath with a big red bow. BUT, wreaths don't just have to be for Christmas. I'm loving these fall wreaths you can put up in September until you are ready for your Christmas wreath in December! Wreaths are a great way to decorate the entrance to your home when having a party, but also something you can enjoy long after the party is over!
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Photos via Dried Floral Shop and BHG

An Emotional Map

I saw this creative idea a couple of months ago on A Lucky Orchid Wedding and came across it yesterday when looking in my "Events" file for some blogging inspiration. I just love this fabulous twist on the typical wedding map! Usually when I see a map incorporated into a wedding its used as the Save the Date, marking the location of the upcoming nuptials, or in the welcome bags for the out of town guests (so they won't get lost all weekend). This however, is an emotional map(click here for a bigger version) describing the bride and groom's journey in life and how their paths eventually crossed. I think this is a great way for family and friends of the bride to get to know the groom better and vice versa. For my readers who are in the midst of wedding planning (and interested in incorporating a map), I would advise to have a map of the wedding weekend festivites on one side and an emotional map on the other (just my two cents!). What do you think?
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Photo via A Lucky Orchid Wedding

A fun twist on pumpkins

I know you are probably tired of me posting about fall and pumpkins, but I came across this idea on BHG and just had to pass it along. You may remember me mentioning that lately I have been drawn to white pumpkins, so of course when I saw these images, I got excited! I love how the nailheads give these traditional pumpkins a modern and edgy vibe.
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I'm totally digging the pumpkins doubling as candleholders...so chic!

Photos via BHG

Weekend Links

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Weekend Links are back! Hope you enjoy my favorite links from around the blogosphere this week...

Is this not the cutest idea on how to ask your bridesmaids?

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Fun party idea for football lovers.
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I am normally very traditional, but I'm drawn to the clean lines of these modern invitations.
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I have always wanted to try to make this kind of birthday cake. .

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Loving this necklace.
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Couldn't leave out this fabulous inspiration from Blair.

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OMG...I have got to try this arrangement!!
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How gorgeous is this fall wedding??

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Photo via Flickr

Wishes

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I love love love this idea! I can only imagine how much fun it would be to look back at all the wishes from family and friends on your wedding day. Compile all the wish cards into a book after your wedding and this could double as your wedding guest book!

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Photos via Style Notes and Style Me Pretty
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Mmmm...

...don't these pumpkin whoopie pies with maple marshmellow cream have your mouth watering?
This would be a fun treat for a Halloween party!



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Photo via Bon Appetit

Pink Power

In honor of breast cancer awareness month (and my mom), I've put together a few pink images for you today. I'm happy to say that my mom is a SURVIVOR and has been in remission for almost 10 years now!! It is crazy how time flies. I will never forget the day that my parents told my sister and me that my mom had breast cancer, and I will also never forget how strong she was the whole way through her surgery and treatments. Thankfully, she caught it early and was able to win the fight!

Style Notes
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Style Me Pretty

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Silverbox Creative
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Glassy Baby

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Eat Drink Chic

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Diamond Affairs via Style Me Pretty

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100 Layer Cake



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Style Notes

Fall Dinner Party

I think October has become one of my favorite months of the year to entertain. There are so many seasonal elements to incorporate that can make for a chic dinner party! I picked up a few pumpkins at a Farmer's market in town to display on my front steps, along with a few candles and a purple mum. ..




I decided to tackle turning a gourd into a vase, but unfortunately the gourd selection at Publix was not very appealing. I ended up grabbing a pumpkin, which was probably a lot easier anyway! My sister had some leftover flowers from Bennett's baptism, so I spent a grand total of $10 on flowers, which my wallet is thanking me for!


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I don't know if you remember my flower inspiration from earlier this week, but here is how my copy of Martha's arrangement turned out. I decided to throw in some white pumkins for a fun twist!

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Do you think I made Martha proud? **One note of caution if you try this...make sure to place the candles a lot lower than the flowers, so that the flame doesn't turn your flowers brown.

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When having a large dinner party, I usually set up the bar outside (depending on weather of course) and I always drape my table with burlap. Its very rustic chic and I love it! I used a large lantern for decoration and to provide more light at the bar. It was perfect for taking up some space on my large table so that I didn't have to use a large flower arrangement!

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One thing I always tend to forget when planning a party is that it usually takes a lot more time than I think. Thankfully my BF came to the rescue helping me cook and set up, which I was so grateful for. The more hands the better! Happy fall party planning!

Simon Pearce

I'm still somewhat giddy from meeting Simon Pearce and his wife Pia yesterday at their signing event at Table Matters. I am absolutely in love with his hand blown glass, and of course, while at the event I just had to buy my first piece! It was a tough choice (mainly dictated by my wallet), but I decided to go with the Norwich Beaker, which I can use as a tumbler, a juice glass or a small vase...LOVE that it is so versatile! (Maybe Santa Clause is reading my blog and will get me a matching glass so I will have a pair...just a thought). What I like most about my new glass is that it has Simon's signature at the base!

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One day I hope to be able to afford one of these fabulous chelsea bowls...

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or this gorgeous vase!
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And for the food lover, Simon and Pia just came out with a new book, A Way of Living, which contains 27 favorite recipes from the Simon Pearce restaurants, combined with images from their home, gardens, workshops, and of course their glass and pottery!

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Photos via Simon Pearce

Flower Inspiration

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I'm having a dinner party tonight and of course I want to have fresh flowers at my house, but they can be SO expensive. I came across this idea on Martha Stewart's web site and I think I may have to give it a try. I also want to incorporate pumpkins and gourds after seeing so many great images on BHG's web site, which you may remember from this post. Wish me luck!!

Emory & James

A friend of mine recently introduced me to Emory & James, a boutique gift company that creates custom, handmade platters and coasters out of paper memorabilia. I fell in love immediately with Amanda and Elissa's work when I visited their web site. I contacted Amanda about posting her work and she graciously sent me over several images to include. I asked her how she got started and here is what she had to say...



I started the company Emory & James (combination of family names from my mother and father's side of the family) on my own a few years ago in Nashville, TN, but have recently brought my sister, Elissa Bennett of Fayetteville, AR, on board. We currently sell out of two high-end stationery stores in the Nashville area (The Paper Place and Amy's Unique Gifts); but, we're looking to expand into key cities across the country within this next year. A large part of our business, however, is done through word of mouth--I can't tell you how often we hear, "My friend so-and-so gave me one of your platters for a wedding present and it was our absolute favorite gift! I'd like to place an order (or three!), please."



Although wedding invitations and baby announcements tend to be the majority of our business, we also make platters out of 50th Birthday Invitations, business cards, custom monograms or event ticket stubs--you name it. It's a chic alternative to framing, and certainly more special than letting it sit in a dusty box. The platters can be used for anything from display to hors d'oeuvres and are often a conversation piece. We're always looking for new (and of course, chic!) ways to preserve life's most special occasions and thoroughly enjoy getting to help clients give their friends a gift they'll get a teary, ecstatic phone call about--that's always fun.
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How fabulous is this gift idea!! I don't know if you are as sentimental as me, but I think this is the perfect gift to preserve special memories...and so useful for the entertainer too! This is definitely a stand out gift that the lucky one receiving will not forget! Thank you Amanda and Elissa for sharing your fabulous work! (Sorry for the overload on exclamation points...you can tell I am very excited about Emory & James)

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Photos via Emory and James
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Baptism Celebration

Yesterday, my nephew Bennett was baptized and that was cause for much celebration! Of course I jumped at the chance to help my sister plan an intimate lunch for friends and family after the church service. She found the invitation below at Please Reply in Crestline Village and that set the tone for several of the elements we incorporated into the celebration that day.
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I just had to include a photo of my sister's precious family, which was taken at the church right after the baptism. Its incredibly hard to get everyone to smile on cue, but the fact that the twins are actually being still in this picture is amazing!
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My sister hung an adorable wreath on her front door with Bennett's photo to greet everyone as they came in the door.

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Mandy from Hot House Design Studio in Birmingham put together a few arrangements for the house, as well as one for the baptismal font, which we transfered to the coffee table in my sister's living room. I love Mandy's style because every arrangement looks like a work of art. Her design definitely stands out and looks anything but average!Check out more of Mandy's work on Hot House's blog.

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My mother and sister teamed up on the food and made a delicious wild rice, chicken and green bean casserole complimented by a fresh green salad and homemade rolls. For dessert, we went with a cake from Olexa's and had them copy the cross on the invitation. I think the cake might have been my favorite part! And, of course we couldn't let the guests leave without a favor. My sister picked up a couple dozen sugar cookies in the shape of a cross from Savage's bakery in Homewood and tied a special note to each one thanking everyone for coming. It was truly a very special day and wonderful celebration!