Obsessing over Dusty Miller

Between my new found love for pinterest and the current falling temperatures, I took a look back at my floral board after an evening of "pinning" and found that my last seven pins all had one thing in common... dusty miller. Talk about trending (without even knowing!). I find myself fascinated with the mixtures of monochromatic blush pinks, creams, and the grays of the dusty miller with the silver brunia; then I find I am drawn to more saturated combinations of jewel tones against the silvery tones of the dusty miller (perfect for the holidays!). I love when the dusty miller is accented with black privet berries or the silver brunia berry, as we always feel it lends a more modern feel to the arrangement. We love all of the bouquets below and we can't wait to share the bouquets from our wedding labor day weekend! Can we say dusty miller and black privet berries (courtesy  of Beautiful Blooms!)? We wish we could fit in all of the beautiful flowers that have inspired us, but we were afraid this might mean inspiration overload to our viewers :) I hope that one of these bouquets at least inspires you for the seasons ahead.

Late Night Treats and "Truckies"

I have a confession to make: I am a foodie. I have always liked the idea of candy and dessert bars as a favor, but I am absolutely in LOVE with late night treats being served to guests as a way to revamp and refuel their appetites for just a few more sets on the dance floor! If you think back to your single days, before you met the love of your life, you spent evenings out with the girls (or boys) dancing the night away and somehow always worked up an appetite (well at least I did!); Evenings ended up at the nearest diner, closest fast food restaurant, and if we were at the beach, then it was a late night at the pizza shop! Should your big party be any different? Well maybe a little... serve up your favorite late night snacks or treats in style before sending guests on their way (or to the after party of the after party!) And really who needs an  actual favor anyhow? Honestly (yes we are being real) we end up throwing about 25% of them away at the end of the event, and the other percentage gets stuck in a junk drawer to be thrown away 6 months down the road. So it has been decided... You are going to find the way to your guests’ heart through their tummy, but where do you begin? Check out these fun late night snacks and food trends I have lined up for you!

Rain, Rain Go Away

... come back after wedding season is over! With Hurricane Irene looming over us this upcoming weekend (and an earthquake behind us) what better way than to cheer up brides-to-be with some wellie, rain boot, and colorful umbrella inspiration? So far, August has proven to be one of our rainiest months, and with rain in the forecast for the next two weekends we couldn't help but put a little sunshine into your day! This is a great way to take control of your wedding pictures and incorporate your wedding colors into your photos! Cathie from the dynamic husband-wife photography duo of BG Productions says that "after a rain everything (including color) really pops outside. And remember, at the end of the day you are still married!". - We couldn't agree more!

If you are looking to keep things on the cheap and pressed for time, you can find these items at various retailers such as Target, Old Navy, and Walmart! If you have a little more time on your hands, then you may want to check out online retailers such as Zappos and Piperlime. Happy Shopping!

In like with M-A-C-A-R-O-O-Ns and CakeBAR!

This weekend LovelyGirls was wedding-free, so we had the opportunity to set up a client meeting  for a bride and groom from Columbia, MD down in the first states', first town - Lewes Beach! Even though Delawares beach traffic is something to be reckoned with on the weekends, let alone a Saturday, I decided to make a day out of it and have my family join me and take in what the small beach town of Lewes had to offer. I am so glad we did. As they say, if there is no risk, there is no reward!

Watermelon: for the Cocktail Party!

The temperature may have dipped down this week, but our love for watermelon keeps getting hotter! An outdoor wedding during these hot summers months should definitely require working at least one of these delightfully chilled watermelon appetizers into your caterers menu. Paired with items such as goat cheese, mint, honey, balsamic, prosciutto, pico de gallo, red onion, and fruits of the season... how could you go wrong?

Watermelon Balsamic Cubes

"These watermelon balsamic cubes were just the right size, continued the somewhat elegance of the night, and yet gave it a casual, down-home tasty treat" is the perfect description by Chef Cathy Shambley of the Showfood Chef. Hosting a backyard summer soiree and in a pinch? Substitute the balsamic reduction for a creamy balsamic dressing!

We are even absolutely L-O-V-I-N-G its plated appearance... very modern, simple, and elegant. It will definitely hold its own during a formal cocktail hour!

Outdoor Ceremony Must: Beverage Station!

Holy heat wave!...  So thankful that is over with (for now). Those high 90's and low 100s' temperatures made us thirsty, so we put together a few options to keep you hydrated, and your guests hydrated as well during the high temps in the summer months.

Having an outdoor ceremony? Make sure not to leave your guests parched. Provide a beverage station complete with beverage dispensers of iced tea, mint infused lemonade, bottles of Pellegrino, or a tub filled with chilled bottles of water. Wanna go the extra mile? Try things like cucumber mint water, watermelon mint water, or even lemon basil water. Just make sure to let the fruits and herbs soak for 6-8 hours before the ceremony to let the water take in all of the robust flavors. Wa la... a refreshing beverage for your guests and no one will pass out ( just make sure the bridal party does not lock their knees!).

Want to keep the lines down during cocktail hour? Try this take on "Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue" for a self-serve beverage station taken from our couple Kara + Marc. Something Old: Mojito, Something New: Lychi Martini, Something Borrowed: Grandmothers' secret Sangria recipe, and Something Blue: Blue Margarita. Beats guests having to wait in those long bar lines during cocktail hour if you ask me!

Make sure to have signage letting guests know that they can serve themselves. Want to personalize it just a bit? Try personalized cocktail napkins, mason jars, and maybe some paper straws. Don't forget to leave a trash can for recyclable water bottles, paper cups, and napkins... and inconspiculously if you ask me.

devon + ethan | 5.07.11

Devon and Ethan were such a great couple to work with over the course of their planning! I had known Ethan through a friend of a friend, who had a friend from around ten years ago... you know the story! So, we were thrilled when Ethan introduced us to his bride-to-be and said they needed a little extra help having things come together.  They held their ceremony at the Golden Sands Club in Ocean City Maryland the weekend of May 7th, and had a theme of black and white damask print with touches of hot pink in their bouquets, floral centerpieces, and even in the bridesmaids shoes! To bring in touches of the beach into the reception, Devon wanted to incorporate fuchsia orchids and river rocks with some floating candles into centerpieces.

It was such a beautiful weekend, and Liza and I spent most of our first evening in our hotel room stripping roses and making bouquets. The morning however... wow, we had the most spectactular view of the sunrise over the ocean and then it was off to get some DD to keep our day going strong, as we had a 9:30am start time. We really heart long days that start with extremely beautiful visuals! Devon and Ethans ceremony was  in the sand on the clubs grounds, but as the sun started to set behind the condos, so did the temperature, so the cocktail hour was quickly moved up and into the reception space. The team at the Golden Sands did a great job of getting set up very quickly and getting the party started. We had the pleasure of working with Teri Pozniak of tPoz Photography, and she was a blast all day and evening! She kept it light and fun and was able to catch some great shots of Devon and Ethan that you can check out here: