When Weddings Go To The Ballet (Or We Bring The Ballet To Our Weddings!)

The hypnotic blues and ghostly whites of Swan Lake

Inspiration for just about anything can be found just about anywhere.  We can be inspired by a quote, to give is strength -

A little Eleanor for those times when doubt rears its ugly head
Via QuotesGram

or a movie scene, to express what we can't quite say out loud -

Via Pinterest

Via Huffington Post

a pet, to remind us that sometimes you just gotta curl up, batton down the hatches and let a cat-nap soothe your soul.

40 winks can sometimes be as healing as a whole night's worth!
Via Catster

We are surrounded by the stuff of dreams and we siphon a little bit of the magic that moves us to incorporate in the ways we live and love so I was instantly smitten when Brides.com presented wedding tablescapes by ballet! Ballet can cover all the bases, aesthetically-speaking: dark and gothic...

 dreamy,  romantic and ethereal....

A kaleidoscope of enchanting hues in a Midsummer Night's Dream
Via NYC Ballet

vibrant and intense.....

Passion, drama and a fiery palette

Via The Stage UK

or whimsical and playful.

Sugar's a treat and so is the palette of this production of the Nutcracker Suite!

 Not to mention the innate style of the dancers themselves - what they wear and how they look so effortlessly chic - being chock full of ideas for bridal parties!

Floral halos and ultra-feminine tulle = 2017 swoonage!
Via Pinterest

Here's a little touch of ballet-inspired wedding style to whet your appetite..

*~Wedding ideas that raise the barre: tablescapes from centre stage!~*

The possibilities really are limitless.... and wonderful.... and can be familiar but somehow reimagined! Where will YOU find your inspiration that's en-pointe?

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

2017 Wedding Trends Round-Up

You are cordially invited.. to bring your wedding stationary A-game! Big florals and laser-cut details FTW!
Via The Knot

On Tuesday, we delved into the au current wedding trends via the style-makers at Vogue, so we thought why not round out the week and head into the last weekend of January (already! Is it too early to say that spring is less than two months away, or did I just jinx us to an unreasonably cruel and frigid February?!) with completely approachable, readily hackable and completely accessible wedding trends via CTV's The Social, Canada's very own salon of beauty, health, current events and lifestyle.

*~The Social + Rebecca Wise = A Marriage in Wedding Style!~*

On today's episode, Rebecca Wise from Event Wise gave us a fresh look at the hottest and most-wanted ideas for wedding season 2017.  And the wedding future looks eclectic and exciting! The standouts? A splash of bright...

Greenery goes technicolor!
Via SouthBound Bride

... sweetly chic...

Via Want That Wedding UK

...a layer of instant romance....

A place setting that pops when it's supported by this lace overlay
Via Pinterest 

...and a dash of the undeniably stylish....

Black is BACK! Small details = big impact
Via Fresh Designpedia

...and the classic take on the signature cocktail - Scotch or Whiskey tasting bars after my own heart!

A toast to Wedding Season 2017!
Via Pinterest

The result? A wedding detail that is uniquely and wonderfully you!

So, what's the wedding touch that's speaking to YOU?

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

Small Plant, Big Appeal

As pretty as a picture!
Via homeandheart.com

2016 is the Year of the Monkey (Chinese calendar), Year of the Comb-Overed Idiot (you know the one, dominating US politics right now) and now, the Year of the Succulent!

Behold, the succulent, the new horticultural star. She's the wedding hero we didn't know we needed! She is super hardy, which means that a centrepiece won't wilt or fade away as the midnight hour approaches.

Via potting-shed.com

She is SO incredibly appealing, visually speaking - so many shapes, sizes, colours and tones to play and experiment with.

Via ameliabaxterinteriorarchitect.weebly.com

Despite being a member of the plant family, she takes her cues from her flower cousins and wows us with shades that are watercolour tones of pink, turquoise and purples to rich oranges and burgundy.

Via blackgold.bz

Via anythingology.blog.blogspot.ca

Succulents are no one's shrinking violet - she can stand alone and SLAY!

Via topaztiestheknot.com

Via sayidosucculents.com

Don't believe us? Check out some truly eyecatching and exciting ways that succulents can weave their magic on your wedding day!

*~Everything's coming up SUCCULENTS!~*

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

Wednesday Wedding Whoa!:The Paper Edition

Via we-are-scout.com

"It is only a paper moon
Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me"

"Paper Moon" is one of those old-timey songs that almost everyone is familiar with or has heard. Whether it's the Ella Fitzgerald version or the Nat King Cole version, this song always makes me ridiculously happy. And never has a paper moon or a cardboard sea -heck, any paper product for that matter!-  ever been so romantic! Well, until now, that is!

Via eco-beautifulweddings.com

Inspired by the Floral wall decor pieces from this past Monday that are so new and exciting, I started looking around at other fresh decor ideas and there were some eye-catching gems made from - you guessed it - paper! And the absolute best part? They were all DIY pieces!  Think of the effects that are possible using different papers and techniques;  texture and dimension ....

Via apracticalwedding.com

Via johannanb.wordpress.com

fluttery and delicate....

Via thelittlecanopy.com

multi-hued, coloured and brilliant .....

Via heyweddinglady.com

Via belleandchic.com

The article that really captured the possibilities featured a 3D wall piece that could showcase the colour palette of the day, gorgeous florals blooming in both arches and framed wall panels and my absolute favourite piece, an arch that featured a collection of folded paper cranes. It was so, so lovely, not just in its aesthetic, but also in its tip of the hat to the symbolism of cranes. Long held as a  Japanese symbol of luck, cranes were believed to live for a thousand years; fathers would give a thousand origami cranes as a wedding gift to wish the couple endless good luck and well wishes. Imagine getting married under a sea of cranes, in the midst of a harbinger of good luck and positive energy!!

Take a look at these paper ideas! Here is the post in its entirety:

*~DIY wedding gold made from paper!~*

April made a whole army of assorted paper florals a few years ago.  They were part of staging we did for a bride's home using both both curated and hand-made items; we draped the staircase and it was not only beautiful in person, but it photographed a DREAM!  We've  seen first-hand how paper can hold its own against traditional decor, if done right! So if you're looking for ideas that are off the beaten path, you could be pleasantly surprise - or completely enamoured - with a little help from paper!

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

Wedding Decor Wow - The Floral Effect

Via scarlettweddingsblog.wordpress.com

Whether you want to be surrounded by them, or you want them in small-but-impactful doses, there's a good chance that your wedding will feature florals.  Lush and fragrant, clean and elegant, or romantic and ultra-feminine, there is a floral treatment for every bride and every space.  From bloom-embellished chandeliers -

Via bellethemagazine.com

to floral table runners -

Via projectwedding.com

flowers and blooms can find a way to add texture, colour and dimension. But one of the newest and freshest decor trends making a huge impact?

Behold the flower wall!

Via bridaltweet.com

Walls and backgrounds go organic in a variety of looks, ranging from framed presentations....

Via bellethemagazine.com

...floor-to-ceiling panels....

Via powerscourthotel.com

....and ceremony spaces with blooming appeal....

Via southboundbride.com

THIS is a truly gorgeous way to take flowers to the next, unexpected level!  And the trend isn't limited to living, breathing specimens; paper flowers are alive with possibility, as seen below.  

Via 128southevemts.com

Via pancakesandglueguns.com

Recently, Wedluxe showcased a wedding that was big in flowers and even bigger on impact. The floral wall segments are a stunning example of the living wall trend:

*~Wedding decor with Wow! appeal!~*

But wait, there's more! Even more eye candy pulled straight from the garden and brought to life inside the reception spaces!

*~More floral features to put on your wish list!~*

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~

Lisa and April

I Do......Love These Wedding Ideas!

Last Friday on CTV's "The Social", event planner Rebecca Wise showcased the cream of the crop of Wedding Trends for 2016 and not to sound like a beating drum, but some of the things we've been smitten with *cough* metallic touches! *cough* were on display, as well as a few things we haven't focused on as much (because it's been a dreary winter; also, I've been blinded by all the sparkly things in gold, silver and copper!) like the use of greenery, not in a supporting role, but in the co-starring role, hand-in-hand with the flowers.  True story: one of our upcoming weddings is incorporating dusty miller in the decor.

Via bonnieplants.com

Make no mistake - this unassuming little guy might look like your average greenery that you probably had in your gardens and backyards growing up, but on closer inspection, this plant packs a BIG punch! The colour is ethereal-meets-ultra-modern; it's the perfect combination of cool, pale green and silver. The leaves are almost velvety and just like the soft ears of a puppy or a kitten, you want to touch them. And, they play nicely with almost any colour so they're a versatile player in the garden AND your reception space.  Dusty Miller is the plant world's Miss Congeniality!

Via whoanellie.wordpress.com

Via floralverde.com

Another big trend is art-meets-cake: meet The Marbled Cake.

Via caketeacher.com

She is a thing of beauty, and can be an unexpected, but oh-so-tasty element of your wedding decor because the colours you select for the marbling can come directly from your colour palette or can be shades of your favourite colour perfectly complented with say, rose gold? Or a geometric shape instead of traditional round tiers? There is no wrong answer when you're talking about cake!

Via calderclark.com

And speaking of no wrong answer - is a dessert tower festooned with an assortment of macarons, madeleines and eclairs (the Holy Trinity of French baking, praise be!) too much of a good thing, or just enough of the best things?

Via acakebakesinbrooklyn.com

Via anaffairwithfood.com

Via fareatales.com

And, for the part of me who keeps every ornate birthday and holiday card I receive, the resurgence of The Invitation, in all its laser-cut, multi-fonted, gilded glory, makes my heart leap! I've said it before but an invitation is actually a bit of a teaser of things to come, so seeing people really pulling out the stops to put together an eye-catching and gorgeous invite to their event is so exciting!

Via ohsobeautifulpaper.com

Via anupamcards.com

Via elegantweddinginvites.com

Here is the whole segment, just in time you might say; Valentine's Day is around the corner and with it comes a new batch of newly minted brides-to-be!!

*~ I Do...... Love these wedding ideas!~*

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

Wednesday Whoa!!

She's a flesh and blood, real-life version of Jessica Rabbit, all curves, a gorgeous modern-day pin-up girl; he's sexy, handsome, and has some sweeeeet dance moves. They are Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello, and together, they are one amazing looking couple.

Hubba-hubba x 2
Image via tomandlorenzo.com

And as of this past Sunday, they are one amazing looking married couple!!

The happy couple!
Image via tmi.buzz

The vows under a floral cascade
Via tmi.buzz

The two tied the knot in Palm Beach and the wedding and reception was the grand finale of a wedding weekend, where they partied, ate, drank, danced and kicked back by the pool with family and friends before the big day.  The decor was stunning - flowers! flowers! flowers! - and romantic to the nth degree.  Some of her 'Modern Family' co-stars were, there as was his 'Magic Mike' co-star Channing Tatum who did a special dance for the bride.  Her dress was a custom Zuhair Murad, which required over 1600 hours to make, featured six pounds of pearls and eleven pounds of sequins. His suit was perfection, and he looked every inch the very well turned-out groom. Her jewellery is rumoured to have been worth close to seven million dollars and the wedding's price tag? A cool four million dollars!

*~The Beautiful People - Sofia + Joe Tie the Knot!~*

Congratulations to the happy, beautiful couple! And HAPPY WEDNESDAY to you all!

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April