baloonatic

i don't know if you know this about me, but i'm kind of super into balloons. i'd even go so far as to say that balloons are one of my top five fave inanimate, unnatural, non-food items. they're awesome.

balloons are fun, balloons make me smile and balloons are appropriate at basically every sort of event.

birthday parties? absolutely.

new years eve? of course.

weddings? why the hell not!?!

any given saturday? bring. it. on.

it's true.

once upon a time, balloons were only for babies and, but now balloons are for everyone! and that's mostly due to Geronimo!

founded in Seattle in 2010, Geronimo!'s amazing spherical masterpieces, coupled with signature fancy ribbons, have become a huge trend, but i'm sure i'm not the only one who believes this trend is nowhere even close to going out of style. this is one for the books, people.

i'm so obsessed with these balloons. so this post is basically just an excuse to be happy.

i mean, can you even imagine what it would feel like to be given one of these babies? and check out the valentine's day edition below! i. would. just. die.

wedding backdrops for personalized pizzazz

Outdoor ceremonies gained popularity in the 1960s when hippie couples looked for a way to make their commitment to each other a simultaneous statement against mainstream culture. While today outdoor ceremonies have become a more traditional choice for weddings, they still offer an opportunity for couples to express their individuality and creativity.

Photo credit: Delbarr Moradi

Outdoor ceremonies certainly offer beauty in their natural surroundings, but they also serve as a naturally beautiful canvas for any additions a couple may want to make to their wedding design to highlight their own personalities.

Photo credit: Ashley Rose Photography

Photo credit: Sean Walker Photography

Ceremony backdrops can be hung, stood or posted behind the bride and groom, and work to highlight (or substitute) an altar.

Photo credit: Steven Michael Photography

Some of the greatest ceremony backdrops are made from simple props such as picture frames, pinwheels, lanterns and flowers, as well as materials like tulle, lace, streamers and pom poms.

Photo credit: Jose Villa

Photo credit: Ashley Garmon Photography

These pieces add a touch of originality to any outdoor venue and can also be easily incorporated within the scenery, allowing the outdoor space to really speak for itself!

Photo credit: Kristen Marie Photography

Backdrops are a great choice for creative brides and grooms who want to play to the beauty of the natural environment and work with the surroundings of the outdoor space, not against it. In this way they make their altar space (and thus themselves) the visual focal point of the day... just as it should be!

Photo credit: Untamed Heart Photography

** This post can also be seen on the blog for Stellina Events, a New York and San Francisco-based wedding and special events planning and design consultancy for which I have interned since November 2011. The Stellina Events article, posted on November 23, 2011 can be seen here**

ceremony backdrops

as a strong proponent of outdoor ceremonies that play to the beauty of the natural environment, i felt it was only right i present some different examples of how this can be done. i love when ceremony backdrops are simple, incorporate the surrounding nature, and only involve minimal materials, like fabric streamers and poms, tulle or lace.

(sparkling here)

(sparkling here via green wedding shoes)

(sparkling here)

(sparkling here)

i just adore how these backdrops let the wedding and location speak for themselves. they really lend themselves well to the idea of "that wedding magic," don't you think?

dylan's candy bar bridal shower

today i'd like to share photos from an event i've been ooh-ing and aah-ing over for some months now. (and after you see them, i'm sure you'll understand why.) this bridal shower, (which comes from the truly unbeatable martha stewart weddings,) is that of Dylan Lauren, owner of the world famous nyc-based store, Dylan's Candy Bar, and daughter of designer, Ralph Lauren.

keeping with what i can only assume is the theme of her life, style and sweets, Dylan's shower oozes with whimsy, color, femininity and overall delight. the party seems like it matches the bride-to-be's personality and lifestyle... and how could anything be wrong with that!?

strawberry chocolate bars (personalized with the couple's initials) served as the invitations to this sweet affair.

this pink, white and yellow candy tableau welcomed guests to the party.
and that mosaic heart backdrop is made completely out of gum!

spectacular candy (i know, right?) rings from Barcelona-based bakery, Escriba were displayed (alongside oversize ring pops!)

Dylan (second from the left) and her guests enjoyed an impressive pink D ♥ P candy display...

... and made their own individual "I ♥ Candy" favor bags.

lemon drops were served with candy swivel-sticks on a pink jelly bean-lined tray.
there was also a bubblegum martini option!

salty, savory fries lended a gastronomic balance to all that candy...

... but for the more refined palate there were caviar ring-shaped snacks.

guests wrote well wishes for the couple... with awesome personalized, gold pencils.

and as a finishing and cheeky touch Dylan gave each of her guests a jewelery box with a candy necklace inside

(all photos sparkling here)

make an entrance!

i believe, for fairly obvious reasons, that location is the most important, foundational necessity for any good event. however, if you want to add a little spice to your party, it seems that all you need is some plastic and helium.

(sparkling here)

(sparkling here)

with a few balloons, and a touch of whimsy, you can take your entrance from drab to dramatic!

wedding wednesday: it's all about the flowers

sometimes it's all about the location... but sometimes it's all about the flowers. take, for example the amazing mix of cream and rose-hued hydrangeas, amaranthus, ranunculus, and roses used in this new york city wedding. i find this combination super pretty, and along with the other details in these shots, totally striking.

(all beautiful photos sparkling here c/o tec petaja)

business as usual.

hello! i'm back from my trip home to the bay area. it was such a great weekend, but ultimately bittersweet in that having such a fantastic time makes leaving again that much harder. fortunately, i am not too far away from home and will only be up in washington for another month before making the (at least semi-) permanent move back.

because my camera was sort of out of commission, i was only able to take pictures on my super high-quality blackberry camera, so while i won't be able to post any photos from the trip, i'll just let you know that i:

• sat through the worst baseball game ever. (3 runs walked-in, giants? really??) but still had a really great time.
• had some seriously quality bonding time with my mom. she's the best.
• got to see my wonderful boyfriend and have a relaxing night out with him.
• met my family's new (and first) dog, rowley, the cutest, sweetest papillon-long haired chihuahua mix ever. i am obsessed.

so yeah, pretty awesome. much like this shot:

(sparkling here via here)

be back tomorrow for Wedding Wednesday!!

south african wedding

if i'm being perfectly honest, there are usually only three things that make me fall in love with a wedding: a delightful attention to detail in the ceremony as well as the reception, the overwhelming attractiveness of the couple (you do too, admit it!), or the undeniable beauty of the location. very rarely can i find all three of these factors in one single wedding.

however, the first time i saw this wedding i was dumbstruck. i couldn't figure out why--it contained all things necessary on my "drool-worthy wedding" checklist, but there was something else too. i bookmarked the post and forgot about it until today, and upon reexamination i've realized what makes this wedding oh so special--it's the raw emotion conveyed through the photos. so kudos to rebecca and bruce of love made visible--you guys sure know how to capture the moment. take a look...

love the industrial feel of the barbed wire combined with the sublime beauty of the south african landscape.

proteas! be still my heart!

succulents and proteas and mismatched vases, oh my!

such fun colors here.

colorful garland--a sign of good times.

seriously handsome, right?

the bride's pose here really sets the mood for the relaxed nature of the wedding, i think.

lace dress--so classic. wildflowers and proteas--so fun.

enter: pomegranates. and adorable self-made(!) sandals.

i'm obsessed with this one.

and this one.

here's that emotion i was talking about.

so sweet and personal.

gotta love jumping pictures. got to.

with a dress like that, who could resist sunset shots like these. gorgeous.

i swoon.

the kind of moments everyone wants memorialized through film.

congrats to katrien and marinus!

(all sparkling here via here)

i (clearly) love everything about this wedding. the backdrop, the flowers, the tablescapes, the dress!, everything. this is my rustic, relaxed, diy dream wedding. i think the real glory must go to the photographers here though. thank you, love made visible, for this lovely gift.