Lighting

Lighting is amazing. It can instantly transform a space and set a mood. Bright and cheery, dark and sexy. Whatever look you're trying to achieve, lighting plays a huge role, whether you realize it or not. For our Colorado wedding, the party will start in the afternoon and go into the night. As the sun begins to go down, I'd love to have TONS of lights everywhere....strings of lights, jar lamps hanging from trees, chandeliers, paper lanterns, candles, candelabras...I love them all!

Photo credit: Jenny J Photography

Photo Credit: Style Me Pretty

Photo Credit: Style Me Pretty

Photo credit: La Belle Vie

Photo Credit: Citified.blogspot.com

Photo Credit: Bridal Guide

Seating

For our stateside wedding, we're having a very small and casual gathering at my parent's house in Evergreen, Colorado. I've got the overall design planned out in my head....black and white with red accents...chandeliers, blackbirds, vintage personal touches....lots and lots of lights...but I hadn't really thought about seating. For food, we are making it ourselves! My family will cook everything the day before the wedding or the morning of, and we'll just have chaffing dishes and things set out for people to serve themselves, buffet style. Since we aren't having it catered, we aren't having servers or anything. It's so generous of my parents to host the party, and the last thing I want is for them to be doing any serving during the party. So casual, casual, casual food set up. But....where do people sit? Do I still need to have big long tables with chairs? This set up is so lovely....

But that means renting tables and chairs...and I'm not even sure the back yard is level enough to set up a bunch of tables! Oye....what to do, what to do...

Monogram Windows

I adore monograms. They're so classic and beautiful. I've been carting around a stack of vintage windows for years! I love them so much but just haven't been able to find the right use for them....until now!

Photo Credit: Style Me Pretty

I'll use three of them to create our monogram. It would make a great backdrop for a dessert table or bar area. Then after the wedding, I'll hang them in our bedroom as a headboard! A great way to have a reminder of our special day. 

WOWIE!

What an amazingly simple yet DRAMATIC idea....use a parachute to cover the ceiling, add some lights behind it to add a little dazzle....the result....magical!

Photo credit: The Knot

Umbrella-ella-ella Yay Yay!

I love umbrellas. They are so whimsical and fun and living in Colorado, where it barely rains, getting to use one is a treat! Umbrellas aren't just practical though...they can be beautiful and elegant, and would be such a fun and unexpected way to dazzle a wedding! You could have your bridesmaids carry matching umbrellas...

Photo credit: The Bridal Suite

Or better yet...use them to decorate! How brilliant is this??? Simply hung upside down, they create an instant canopy. So dramatic and fun!

Photo Credit: Green Wedding Shoes

Photo credit: Green Wedding Shoes

Don't quiet have an "umbrella budget" in your plans? This site offers rentals! Bella Umbrella! There are so many to colors and styles to choose from! The "Pagoda" style is definitely my favorite. And the contrasting black and white is so graphic and bold. 

And I adore this red ruffled number! It's so cheeky...it reminds me of ruffled bloomers!