Today's photo shoot comes to us from Kim of Something Floral who designed a 4-person tablescape for an ice skating themed bridal shower {given by members of the brides-to-be's figure skating club}. Kim was a former ice skater herself so she had lots of fun putting this shoot together :)

Notice the trophy-shaped vase for the floral arrangement above? From Kim . . . Each floral arrangement featured a mixture of roses, spray roses, chrysanthemums, gerberas, berzelia, and pittosporum foliage.  The icy blue and silver palette was warmed and softened by including pink, cream, and light peach flowers, as well as white and grey, in the floral arrangements.

From Kim . . . Placesettings were marked with teal, resin, scalloped picture frames, and napkins were folded and displayed horizontally at the top of each plate to resemble bow ties.  Stretch bracelets of aqua Czech crystals were used as glittery napkin rings.

From Kim . . . For the round tables, classic aqua linens were used and topped with a hint of glitz from sequined, aqua and silver table runners in a pattern that looked like snowflakes. Silver chivari chairs, silver metallic plate chargers, and silver flatware added additional pops of silver to each table. The menus were mounted on scalloped, silver metallic cardstock to mirror the scalloping on the plate chargers and flatware.

Both the invitations and menus {shown above} featured touches of aqua and ice blue satin ribbon and each were accented with 3-dimensional ice skate scrapbooking stickers to emphazie the event's theme. This is such a wonderful idea for a DIY invitation. For me personally, anytime you add dimension to an invitation or other paper good, you immediately bump up the wow factor.

From Kim . . . Instead of encircling all sides of the table, guest chairs were setup only three quarters of the way around so that a more pronounced, visual focal point could anchor each table. Oversized tables were used to ensure each guest had enough room to eat comfortably, and with the tall centerpiece elements situated at one side of the table, the focal point could be enjoyed by all guests at the table without blocking or inhibiting anyone’s view or ability to socialize. White, resin, scalloped picture frames held table numbers that also included the name of a figure skating jump or spin.  Clear crystal candy jars filled with aqua Sixlet candies sat next to each table number so that each guest could help themselves to treats.

From Kim . . . Decadently delicious, individual, round cakes layered in dark, milk, and white chocolate mousse were displayed on a cut-crystal tray in the center of each table. Guests were given sterling silver ice skate charms as favors, wrapped in silvertone gift boxes tied with delicate, aqua-striped ribbon and presented on glittery, irridescent, white snowflake ornaments.

Vendor Credits:
Styling, Coordination, Linen and Chair Rentals: Something Spectacular
Floral Designs and Other Rentals: Something Floral 
Photography, Stationery, and Paper Goods: Urban Fire Studio 
Knit Jersey Body Form and Acrylic Riser: Bob’s Store Fixture Supercenter, Inc.  
Individual Chocolate Trio Desserts: Sweet Dreams Bakery 
Silvertone Jewelry Gift Boxes: Notable Notions 
Figure Skating Outfit: Courtesy of Kim McMullen
Candy Jar and Aqua Candies: JoAnn Fabrics 
Table Number Frame and Snowflake Ornaments: Hobby Lobby
Placecard Frames and Crystal Beaded Bracelets (Napkin Rings): Michaels

CHALLENGE GUIDELINES . . .
color palette: red, orange and brown
theme: bridal shower or wedding

Happy Monday. Today I'm back with the 3rd submission of the October Wedding Vendor Challenges. Today's team consisted of the talented Kim of Something Floral with beautiful paper goods from Inside the Envelope, Inc. This fall inspired shoot was photographed by Urban Fire Studio at the picturesque Yates Cider Mill in Michigan. I will now let Kim explain the ideas and concept behind this rustic wedding inspiration . . .

Autumn is a beautiful time of the year in Michigan, with leaves turning vibrant, fiery shades and the air growing cool and crisp so when I heard  the October challenge colors were red, orange, and brown, I immediately knew the perfect location for an outdoor, rustic style event with a casual and relaxed atmosphere.

For many metro Detroiters, autumn is not complete without a trip to Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Hills. With a history dating back to the 1860's, Yates is located beside the rapidly flowing waters of the Clinton River, which power the mill to produce delicious Michigan apple cider.

We chose red as our dominant color, brown as the secondary color, and orange as the accent. A rectangular, classic table cloth in chocolate brown was used as the base linen to cover the dining area of each extra-large picnic table. A round, vibrant, cherry red linen of duchess satin was placed atop the base linen, and a burlap table runner was added to the top. Using three linens with different colors, sheens, and textures added depth, visual contrast, and textural interest to each table’s surface.

Our accent color was brought into the tablescape through a variety of primarily orange-based colors in the centerpieces and other floral arrangements. By using a mixture of roses, spray roses, lilies, safflower, celosia, hypericum, matsumoto asters, gladiolus, dahlias, Chinese lanterns, carnations, millet, wild grasses, and apples in a combination of orange, burnt orange, terracotta, melon, peach, mango, brick red, cherry red, copper, and chocolate, the centerpieces and other floral arrangements contained a variety of floral shapes, textures, and tints and shades within the same color family.

Since apples are round, we wanted the round shape to be a predominant visual element represented repetitively through a variety of round, almost-round, and cylinder shaped items and décor elements. For example, the round monogram on the invitations, round accent linens on rectangular picnic tables, round paper lanterns, round plates, round/cylinder stemware, almost-round placecards, almost-round accents on napkin rings, round /cylinder guest favors, round baskets as bases for the primary centerpiece, table numbers carved into round pumpkins, accent floral arrangements in round pumpkins, round desserts, etc.

Notice how the red paper lanterns are turned into apples by adding green paper leaves to the top of them? Such a BRILLIANT IDEA!!!!!!!

We wanted to introduce a lace detail into the tablescape to coordinate with the delicate and pretty lace on the invitations, created by Inside the Envelope, Inc. We did that by creating custom napkin rings that were multi-layered of different colors and textures, similarly to the effect created with the table linens. The base of each napkin ring was burlap, and satin ribbon and delicate lace were layered and secured with hot glue. As an accent, a small, apple shaped, wooden cutout purchased from a craft store was then glued to the top of each napkin ring.The camel burlap, chocolate brown satin ribbon, and white lace provided a nice color contrast to the red duchess satin napkins.

Some Parting Advice from Kim:
Don’t be afraid to experiment with strong color linens or a mixture of linen colors and textures. Just like paint color dramatically impacts the look and mood of a room in your home, the linens you select will set the tone for your event’s overall look and feel. Consult your professional event designer, florist, or planner for advice. They can recommend the proper linen shapes, sizes, and a variety of colors, textures, and combinations that coordinate well and will best represent your wedding’s style and the atmosphere you want to create.

Vendor Credits:
Styling and Coordination: Something Spectacular
Floral Designs, Linen Rentals, and Custom Made Napkin Rings: Something Floral
Photography: Urban Fire Studio
Invitations and Paper Goods: Inside the Envelope, Inc.
Location: Yates Cider Mill
Apple Cider, Sparkling Cider, Caramel Apples, Apple Pie, and Apple Butter: Yates Cider Mill
Cinnamon Sticks - Madame Koiteh
Paper Lanterns and Large Wooden Apple Shapes (Placecards): Hobby Lobby
Burlap, Ribbon, and Lace for Napkin Rings: JoAnn Fabrics
Small Wooden Apple Shapes (Napkin Rings): Michael's

Today it's time for the September Wedding Vendor Challenge submission and I have a spectacular shoot for you that I helped create the paper goodies for. I had so much fun working on this one with Kim from Something Floral. She's definitely an amazingly talented lady to team up with. I will now turn the blog over to Kim as she explains the shoot . . .

This early autumn, brunch bridal shower was set in Slayton Arboretum, a botanical garden located in the northeast corner of the Hillsdale College campus in Hillsdale, Michigan. Tree-themed invitations from Festive Fetti set the tone for this shower's outdoor "formal garden meets woodlands" setting and provided a visual cue to guests that the event's color palette would be yellow, black, and grey.

Rustic benches from the entrance of the arboretum through the path to the shower setting were decorated with fallen tree branches that were collected after a strong thunderstorm and spray painted black. The branches were accented with white dendrobium orchids and yellow satin sashes, tied into bows. The yellow bows served two purposes: to add a splash of color to bench décor and to pay homage to the bride-to-be's sister, a member of the military who was deployed and unable to attend the shower.

For the primary tablescape, I selected black as the dominant color, yellow as the secondary color, and grey and silver as the accent. The field stones in the gazebo added a variety of grey shades to the setting so I focused primarily on black and yellow for the linens and décor. Since the topper was most visible to shower guests, I splurged on a sheer black, embroidered and sequined linen while choosing a more economical, lemon yellow, duchess satin tablecloth as the base linen. The yellow napkins, accented with grey and black satin ribbon and yellow, sequin leaf trim, coordinated with the base linen and were folded to hold and display menus.

Black satin chair covers were used to coordinate with the topper's black satin border and were finished with lemon yellow satin sashes tied into bows. The bride-to-be's chair back was also accented with a small tree branch that had been spray painted grey and decorated with yellow, sequin leaves to coordinate with the leaf napkin trim.

Table numbers were displayed in black, scalloped picture frames that had been decorated with grey-painted twigs and yellow sequin leaves. Miniature black frames accessorized with yellow, leaf-shaped crystals held tree branch print place cards and marked each guest's reserved seat.

Each place setting on the primary tablescape featured a silver grey charger, black plates and coffee cups, silver flatware, clear stemware, and the perfect "green" guest favor for nature lovers - a live tree seedling from The Green World Project.

Table centerpieces featured a wrought iron tree-shaped base, painted black, and "branches" were covered with delicate white dendrobium orchids. Guests were invited to take yellow paper leaves, displayed at their table on a tree-shaped jewelry holder, write "leaves of advice" for the bride-to-be, and then hang their leaf of advice on a branch of the centerpiece.

A brunch refreshment table took the place of a sweets table and an assortment of breakfast pastries, muffins, croissants, bagels, and cookies were offered. I wanted the refreshment table to coordinate with the dining tables but not replicate them exactly so while I used a table of the same size and shape, I chose lemon yellow as the dominant color, grey as the secondary color, and white and black as accents.  The table linen was yellow duchess satin, draped with swags of grey shimmery fabric that was accented by a fresh, white dendrobium orchid at each swag peak. Two tree shaped candleholders were used to hold and display muffins, and a tall, dendrobium "tree" centerpiece, identical to the dining table centerpieces, was featured.

DIY GOODIE :

A tree shaped candleholder is converted to be a cupcake holder. This is such a brilliant idea.

Vendor Credits:
Styling, Coordination, Floral Designs, & Linen Rentals: Something Floral / Something Spectacular
Stationery, Paper Goods, and Styling: Festive Fetti
Photography: Urban Fire Studio
Location: Slayton Arboretum, Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI
Live Tree Favors: The Green World Project
Petite Butter Cookies: Jonesville Bakery
Muffins, Cakes, Croissants, Bagels, and Doughnuts: Meijer
All Frames, Tree Candleholders (used to display muffins on refreshment table), and Napkin Accent Ribbon: JoAnn Fabrics
Yellow Leaf Beaded Trim: Fabric Warehouse
Silver Chargers, Tree Jewelry Holder (used to hold advice leaves), and Yellow Leaf Crystals (used on placecard frames): Michaels

Today is the day for another Wedding Vendor Challenges. This time we head to Michigan for an absolutely amazing concept - a coed bridal shower for a couple that met while in school. Today's photo shoot location for many in the state of Michigan is beyond words a dream come true. The talented team today consists of Lisa of Gabbi Grace Events, Kim of Something Floral, beautiful film photography by Jackie of JACQART and more.

Lisa joins me now with her concept and design for this photo shoot . . . When I heard of the August Challenge colors "Maize and Blue" only one location, theme and idea came to mind . . . a coed wedding shower on the Football field at The Big House! Now that idea sounded great but whether or not that dream would become a reality was another story . . .

The Location:
The Big House is not just any house it is home to the University of Michigan football team and the largest football stadium in the world. It seats 109,901 football fans. Although much is known about Michigan Stadium, one fact remains a mystery . . . where is the Fritz Crisler seat? (The father of two-platoon football and Michigan Head coach from 1938-1947). This is the one extra seat that is listed in the odd number capacity of 109,901.

The Reality:
The amazing folks at The University of Michigan let us into the stadium and less than an inch away from the field on the 50 yard line!

The Big House symbolizes the pride,tradition and excellence that is the University of Michigan.

photo above courtesy of Something Floral

The Theme:
We wanted it to represent all that is the University of Michigan the Grandiose of the Stadium the tradition of the school and it's spirit and pay homage to the Football team and this amazing Educational Institution.

The floral "M" was made in advance by Kim from 100 gold silk/artificial carnations. This just blows my mind - it's beyond stunning!!!!!!

photo above courtesy of Something Floral

The tablescape and sweets table both used fresh flowers consisting of sunflowers (2 varieties) , gerberas, snapdragons, carnations, chrysanthemums, craspedia, solidago, sweet gum, hydrangea, and delphinium.

DIY GOODIE: No Sew Napkin Wraps {as created by Kim of Something Floral}
Instead of purchasing napkin rings, you can make your own, customized, no sew napkin wraps with fabric, trim, and tools from your local craft store and sewing store. Step by Step instructions follow along with the complete vendor list . . .

Step 1: Gather the following supplies:

• Fabric in color or pattern of your choice (amount to purchase varies based on # of napkin wraps) 
• Decorative trims and ribbon of your choice (amount to purchase varies based on # of napkin wraps)
• Scissors
• Hot Glue Gun
• Heat Resistant Glue Pad
• Hot Glue Sticks
• Optional: Empty Cardboard Paper Towel or Toilet Tissue Core

Step 2: Cut fabric into identical rectangles based on the width and lenth (circumference) you desire for the wraps. Be sure to leave extra room for attaching trim to top and bottom and for overlapping fabric when sealing the ends together.

Step 3: Hot glue the widest width trim to the top and bottom of each wrap.  If the trim has an open binding, sandwich the wrap fabric between the two sides of the trim and glue in place. When the glue has cooled, cut the trim to the length of the wrap fabric. 

Step 4: Hot glue the ribbon/accent trim to the primary trim on the top and bottom of the wrap. When the glue has cooled, cut the ribbon/accent trim to the length of the wrap fabric.

Step 5: Form a tube shape by bringing both length ends of the wrap together, overlapping them approximately 1/4 inch, and hot glue together. For the best hold, seal the entire seam from top to bottom.  Tip: Wrapping the fabric around an empty, cardboard paper towel or toilet tissue core will help ensure that you're overlapping and gluing the ends together evenly for the width of the wrap. Remove core when the glue has cooled and set.

Completed Wrap: After the napkin wrap's glue has cooled and set for at least a day, fold napkin and slide it through the finished wrap, fluffing the ends of the napkin for extra volume and to accentuate the slim silhouette of the wrap.

Vendors:
Venue: The University of Michigan Stadium - The Big House
Props {Official Football Jersey(s), Football and Helmet}: University of Michigan Athletic Department
Concept and Design: Lisa of Gabbi Grace Events and Kim of Something Floral
Planning & Styling {Rentals: Chavari Chairs, Chair Pads, Table Linens and Sweets Table design}: Gabbi Grace Events
Photography: Jackie Blair of JACQART
Flowers, all floral designs, and milk glass bud vases: Kim of Something Floral and Something Spectacular
Milk Glass Rentals: Hul-Bee Weddings and Events
Gold Plated Flatware and Chargers Rentals: Dynamic Designz
Stationery {menus, banner, chair tags}: LePenn Designs
Cake Bites: Cake Bite Delights
Fresh Fruit Cheese Cake: Produce Palace
U of M table runner, napkin liners/inserts, and napkin rings/wraps - sewn and created by Kim

I can't even begin to express how lucky I am to work with such amazing vendors each month. And, the designs for the wedding vendor challenge this month have totally blown me away. PLUS, pink and purple happen to be my favorite colors :) Today, I have a spectacular display from Kim of Something Floral and the most creative idea for guests favors. Wait until you see!!!!! Let's get started and I'll turn the blog over to Kim as she explains her design ideas behind this shoot as well as the flowers that she incorporated . . .

This sunny, summer afternoon bridal shower was set in rural Michigan, at a private residence in their picturesque walnut grove where tall trees provided shade. And, a hint of sun with yellow rays of light peeking through the lush green leaves created natural spotlights across the grounds. Orchid patterned invitations from Papermints set the mood for stately elegance and provided a visual hint to guests that there would be more orchids and purple, pink, and grey to come at the shower.

I wanted the welcome/guestbook table to coordinate with the dining tables but not replicate them exactly so while I used a table of the same size and shape, I chose purple as the dominant color, pink as the secondary color, and silver as the accent. The table linen was a standard, polyester table cloth in plum, but I wanted the table to have some "wow factor" since it was the first table guests would see when they arrived and it would set the mood for the rest of the shower décor. Therefore, I surrounded the edge of the table with realistic, faux/permanent, Phalaenopsis orchids in an eggplant color. I wanted to pull visual focus to the top of the table, where the guestbook, favors, and welcome cookies were displayed, so as to not complete with those items, I used orchids in a color close to the linen color.

The welcome/guestbook table also contained a cookie stand brimming with petite butter cookies which were decorated with dainty pink and violet roses. Metallic paper doilies were added to each later of the clear stand for a hint of silver. Miniature, faux/permanent, violet Phalaenopsis orchids were placed and suspended in the center pillars of the cookie stand for an extra pop of color and to enhance the orchid theme.

Besides the impressive display of orchids around the edge of the welcome/guestbook table, other flowers accented the center of the table. A variety of artisan-crafted earrings, custom created by a local jewelry designer, were offered to guests as favors. After guests arrived and signed the guest book, they were encouraged to select a silver gift box (tied with pink satin ribbon) and their favorite pair of earrings from the 40+ pairs on display on a jewelry holder floral arrangement. The jewelry display arrangement consisted of two, ivory jewelry holders that were first painted silver to match the shower's color palette, and decorated with two layers of fresh roses (Thrill variety), spray roses (Blue Moon, Majolika, Hot Majolika, and Lovely Lydia varieties), violet and lavender stock, and salal. No surface was left undetailed, as the base of the bottom layer featured pink striped ribbon and three rows of hot pink sequins. Two stems of realistic, faux/permanent, candy striped, Phalaenopsis orchids were floral taped together and placed in the arrangement in the center of the earring holder so that the earrings spiraled around them. 

For the primary tablescapes, I chose grey and silver as the dominant color, purple as the secondary color, and pink as the accent. Since the topper would be most visible to shower guests, I splurged on a grey and silver one that was both embroidered and sequined while choosing a standard, more economical, plum, polyester tablecloth as the base linen. Silver, satin pillowcase style chair covers were used to coordinate with the silver and grey topper, and the chair cover backs were accented with hot pink, ruffled, millinery rose accents. The napkins were plum, polyester to coordinate with the base linen, and instead of using a standard napkin ring, I opted to make napkin rings using a beautiful, hot pink, pleated satin and velvet ribbon that I purchased from a fabric store. The satin pleats of the ribbon coordinated well with the satin border on the table topper and satin chair covers, and the velvet added a surprising (for summer) touch of lux that was perfect for an elegant shower. A beaded brooch was pinned to each napkin ring for a hint of sparkle, and a darling, moss-covered table number sat atop each dining table to help guests find their assigned location.

Each place setting on the primary tablescape consisted of antique china and antique crystal. Silvertone placecard frames accessorized with pink crystals held orchid print placecards and marked each guest's reserved seat. Instead of a formal dessert table, bright pink frosted cupcakes wrapped in silver, crystal and sequin accented cupcake wrappers (made from silver metallic, paper doilies), were placed at each guest's table setting atop silverplate pillar candle stands.

The main tablescape centerpiece was a two-layer, topiary style design created in a tall, silver, ceramic vase and featured realistic, faux/permanent, eggplant, raspberry, and pastel pink Phalaenopsis orchids cascading from the top while the base of the orchid stems were surrounded by fresh roses (Thrill variety), spray roses (Blue Moon, Majolika, Hot Majolika, and Lovely Lydia varieties), violet and lavender stock, and salal.  Phalaenopsis orchids, frequently referred to as moth orchids because of their bloom's shape, add a touch of elegance to any setting. They are pricey (both fresh and realistic, high quality faux), but their arched multi-bloom stems are graceful and sophisticated, and only a few stems are needed to add panache to an arrangement.

ADVICE FROM KIM: A mixture of fresh and faux florals were used together throughout this photoshoot to demonstrate the option and versatility of using both together. I frequently suggest this option to our clients who have a favorite flower that will be out of season at the time of their special event and also to clients who want pricey floral varieties in their bouquets and arrangements but who don't have the budget to use pricey blooms throughout their décor. One word of caution, however. When mixing fresh and faux/permanent botanicals, it is absolutely critical to use the most realistic, highest quality permanent botanicals available, as a person's eye will naturally be drawn to anything that looks out of place in a bouquet or arrangement. Low quality flowers are not realistic and will stick out like a sore thumb, especially amidst fresh flowers. If you want faux flowers to be believable and to mix harmoniously with fresh flowers, they MUST look realistic.

DIY GOODIE : How-to create your own cupcake wrappers from paper doilies with a bit of bling

Why buy cupcake wraps when you can quickly and easily make your own? Here are the materials and tools you will need, which can all be purchased at your local craft or baking supply store:
• 10 inch paper doilies in the color of your choice (silver metallic shown in the example)
• Cupcake papers/liners in the color of your choice
• Flatback crystals, rhinestones, sequins or other decorative items and trim
• Scissors
• Hot Glue Gun
• Glue Sticks
• Optional: Stapler and staples, double-sided tape, or scrapbook adhesive squares
(if you prefer instead of the hot glue gun)

Vendors:
• Styling, Coordination, Floral Designs, and Cupcake Wrapper Designs: Something Floral / Something Spectacular, Warren, MI
• Stationery and Paper Goods: Papermints, Studio City, CA
• Photography: Urban Fire Studio, Center Line, M
• Linen Rentals: Fabulous Events, Waterford, MI
• Earrings / Jewelry Favors: Shining Moment, Clawson, MI
• Silvertone Earring Boxes: Notable Notions, Los Angeles, CA
• Moss-Covered Table Number: White Tulip Boutique, Connecticut
• Silver Paper Doilies, Magenta Metallic Cupcake Papers, and Royal Icing Flowers: Heinrich's Decorating Nook, Center Line, MI
• Petite Butter Cookies: Jonesville Bakery, Jonesville, MI
• Cupcakes: Kroger, Hillsdale, MI
• Earring Stands, Napkin Ring Fabric, Napkin Brooches, Pink Photo Guest Book, and All Frames (Placecard and Welcome Table): JoAnn Fabrics
• Guest Book Pen: Hobby Lobby
• Location, antique china, and antique crystal glassware: Private Residence, Hillsdale, MI