The "I DO Brunch" Part One - Flowers In Bloom

(Flowers By Gina D.)

(Flowers By Gina D.)

(Flowers By Gina D.)

(Flowers By Gina D.)

(Richardson's Flowers)

(Richardson's Flowers)

(Richardson's Flowers)

(Wicked Willow)

(Wicked Willow)

(Wicked Willow)

(Wicked Willow)

(Crimson & Clover Designs)

(Creative Custom Cardboxes)

(Crimson & Clover Designs)

(Crimson & Clover Designs)

(Crimson & Clover Designs)

Historic Savage Mill Manor was the perfect location for the first "I DO Brunch" For Wedding Planners. Quaint, charming and with tons of history - it sits in the quiet enclave of Savage, MD., a small town in Howard County. The weather was gorgeous - sunny, with a bit of wind and plenty of fluffy clouds in the sky.

Guests were greeted by members of my team and offered the signature drink of the day, the "I DO Mimosa". This delightful concoction, dreamed up by yours truly, was a sweet mixture of orange and passion fruit juices, topped off with Italian spumante. A luscious strawberry petal finished off the libation which was served in a sparkling flute.

The color palette for the event was green and purple - which are two of my favorite hues to work with. Perfect for a spring event, these cool shades definitely herald the Easter season!
A funky custom card box, designed by Marni Gold at Creative Custom Cardboxes and done in our signature shades, festooned with a touch of "bling" and sensuous feathers graced our registration table.

Amy Epstein of Crimson & Clover Floral Design was tasked with providing the floral decor for the venue and took simple spring blooms then arranged them in such a fashion that they were a modern twist in a vintage location. Her incredible focal piece in our bar area, created with amazing purple tulips and the coolest ball fashioned out of deep purple carnations and crystals was truly a sight to behold!!! Guests were marveling and touching the spiky lavender flowers and the lush grass display created specifically for the Manor House' antique fireplaces.

As our colleagues entered the main dining area, the oohs and ahhs really came into full force - the vision that met them was truly camera worthy. Twelve tables were given the true imagination treatment and designed totally different, yet cohesive enough to fit the overall color scheme.

The tablescapes were created by teams of linen suppliers, stationers and florists - I gave them design "parameters" and let their respective genius run wild! To be honest, I had no clue of what the finished product would look like - but I'm wise enough to let the professionals work their magic and mojo to make things happen! And the end result was nothing short of amazing - I was so happy with how their creative juices flowed!

The floral designers were as follows:
Tablescapes One - Four
Randy Woods - Wicked Willow Floral Designs

Tablescapes Five - Eight
Sheila Smith - Richardson's Florists

Tablescapes Nine - Twelve
Regina Davis - Flowers By Gina D.

I think each of them did a fabulous job - our guests were truly appreciative of your hard work!!

P.S. Many thanks to Tiffany Parry & Bridgette Crawford for providing these photos so you could get a first glance at the lush beauty of this event -professional pictures will be up soon!

Aisle Style Recap

(acknowledgement menu - created by Diamond Minor Designs)

(pillows with a personal touch of bling - the jeweled pins are out of my collection!)

(this hotel pillow is normally burgundy chenille, but with a little bit of fabric - I gave it a new look!)

(a sparkling monogrammed pin is a great way to inject a bit of you and your spouse into the surrounding decor!)

(A luxurious "throw" to add panache to a chair - this was created with a cloth from my collection & a few gold tassels...)

(Sheila's beautiful orange-hued bouquet)

(another glimpse of the submerged orchid centerpieces)

(Simple orchids under water make for a stunning table focus)

(Another view of our crystal embellished floor lamp)

(A standard hotel floor lamp, transformed with florals, lighting and hanging crystals)

(Our design vignette signage)

(A few of the flowers we needed to make this baby POP!)

(The hotel lamp and couch - before)

( These crystals were painstakingly hand-strung by Sheila Smith)

(The always fun, ever-talented Gene Perkins of Perkins Event Lighting)

(Sheila & Chris from Richardson's Flowers)

(The title may be "Glamour - The AfterParty", but the setup sure isn't!)

(Here's what we started with at 7 a.m...)

I am recouperating from all of the excitement and hectic activity leading up to Baltimore Magazine's ultra-luxe Aisle Style event this past Sunday at the Hilton Baltimore. Many thanks go to the fine team at Baltimore Magazine including Jessie, Brittany and Janelle for the invitation to participate as a featured designer - I had so much fun coming up with my vignette!

Speaking of which - my project was entitled "Glamour - The AfterPARTY", which was quite fitting for this party DIVA :) Working in collaboration with my partners in "design crime", the talented Sheila Smith at Richardson's Flowers and Gene Perkins of Perkins Event Lighting, we crafted a pretty cool space - working with the existing structures of the hotel. That was the caveat - I could do whatever I wanted within the area, I just couldn't move the furniture out!

So...my thinking was to create a relaxing environment, with the right touch of bling and glam - for the new Mr. & Mrs (and their posse) to hang out and still savor the moment. Add in a few champagne cocktails and some tasty "nibbles" and we're good to go! For the final touch - Susan Childs at Select Event Rentals brought in a sinfully sheer caramel overlay with a raw silk undercloth & crystal encrusted table lamps, while my creative paper guru, Karron Minor of Diamond Minor Design took care of our menus and other printed collateral.

A few of my amateur pics are posted above - can't wait to get the professional ones up in a week or so!!

Slick & Sleek

What's black (with some white thrown in) and shiny all over? This cool, sleek PATENT LEATHER table that I designed for the Baltimore Bridal Show over the weekend at the Convention Center!

Here's the back story: I was commissioned by the Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor to create a design concept for their display area at the show. They wanted something different, something unique, something that would stand out (which is right up my alley!) to those brides and grooms who would visit the event. In my "wanderings", I had visited a fabulous rental company in the metropolitan area who had the most unusual tables - made of patent leather or faux ostrich. I kept that little "tidbit" on file for future use - knowing I'd be able to develop it into a designscape somehow.......

When the opportunity came to create the booth display - that patent leather table popped up immediately! It is the perfect way to make a different statement and seat your guests in stylish comfort. Available locally at Party Rental, Ltd., this stunning dining option comes in black, white or navy patent leather OR a rich brown-hued faux ostrich leather option. I decided to work with the classic color schematic of black & white...with the notion of shine thrown in for good measure. The use of LED lighting in the space allowed for continuous color change during the event - I opted for cool tones of deep blue, purple, red and pink to give a subtle mood swing each hour......

4 different place settings, complete with base plates, dinnerware, flatware and sparkling glassware was a great way to show varied looks, and the use of Dupioni silk benches along with classic Chivari chairs gave another way to seat your guests at this magnificent table. Pure white florals in glass boxes, by Richardson's Flowers & Gifts were the perfect finishing touch.

The reaction? Everyone LOVED it!!! All of the visitors to the booth wanted to touch it, feel it...which is exactly what I wanted. The shine was incredible and as one bride said so succinctly, "This is a table for grownups!". I couldn't agree more....