Trend Watch: Stunning Succulents

Looking for the succulents trend post?  It's moved over to Tikkido.com

Need Direction for Your Wedding Look? Pantone's Fall Color Forecast is Out!

The color experts at Pantone have just released Fall 2011's most fashion-forward colors!

Gorgeous!  I love how bright and cheerful the colors are, but how they still have a warmth that makes them perfect for fall.  (I was clearly prescient when I bought my favorite purse in cedar, thinking that it would look great even through the fall. ;-) )

The Dessy Group is once again working closely with Pantone and has created a collection of bridesmaids' gowns in these colors.

They certainly make it easy to take inspiration from the color experts and incorporate this gorgeous palette into your wedding!  I can't wait to see wedding pictures from our customers in a few months.  Be inspired!

Inspiration: My Fair Wedding

I confess.  I've been completely smitten with the astounding event planner David Tutera since his long-gone show The Party Planner with David Tutera.  His vision, his creativity, his style, his ability to gracefully but with strength and determination make a party follow his specific plans...this man has a tremendous gift, and I love every glimpse of it.

Already a huge fan, I was ecstatic when Tradewind Tiaras was chosen to be a featured vendor for the website that went along with David's last show, Get Married with David Tutera.  I even got to go out to the launch party in Manhattan during Bridal Week and meet him!

Don't I look giddy and not a little starstruck?

Get Married is now hosted by Colin Cowie, another incredibly gifted party designer.  And David Tutera has moved on to his current show, My Fair Wedding.

I have to say, I'm just a wee bit obsessed.

David meets with a bride just a few weeks before her wedding, takes her...let's say unusual...plans for the wedding, and completely takes over and remakes the entire event, in truly grand style.   But the best part is that David always honors the bride's original vision and theme, no matter how wacky (Swamp theme?  Day of the Dead theme?  Pirates?) and somehow makes them beautiful and elegant.  That is party planning magic, and is exactly why, nearly ten years after my own wedding, I'm in love with this show.

A new season started last night on WEtv.  (You had no idea that channel existed?  Neither did I, until I heard David was on it.)  Set your DVR, or find episodes On Demand.  If you're planning a wedding, or you just admire a good party and amazing design, you won't be disappointed.  Even my husband will sit down and watch this show with me, it's so entertaining!

Inspired Idea: The Handkerchief Invitation

Invitations are important.  They set the tone and give a glimpse of what's to come.  If you were lucky enough to receive an invitation to Yougna and Jacob's wedding, you'd have no doubt that their celebration would be something truly special.  

So what did they do?  She knew that her guests would need a map to find their celebration, and had the inspired idea to make the map into a gorgeous, custom-printed fabric map, sewn into a handkerchief.  Extra hankies are always a good idea at weddings!  

The pictures were also taken by the amazing Yougna, also a photographer.  No wonder she has such beautiful artistic vision.  

The idea is incredible, yes, but the end product is so spectacular thanks to the design work of Kelli Anderson.  For more great information on the involved, impressive process behind creating the design, check out Kelli Anderson's blog.  It's full of great details and insights for anyone considering a project of this sort.  

Bravo, Yougna!  Projects like this make me want to get married all over again!

Wedding Inspiration: An Orchard Themed Fall Wedding

Last week we took a short family trip to Michigan to visit dear friends.  We escaped the Phoenix heat, went apple picking, drank freshly pressed apple cider, ate hot cider donuts, and enjoyed a bit of glorious fall.

Eating apples directly off the tree.

I was inspired.  The weather, the scents, the tastes, the sights.  So perfectly, marvelously fall.  What could be better than an orchard wedding in the glorious autumn sunshine?

Long tables in the orchard, full of family and friends:

All set up for a formal dinner in the peach orchard at Schnepf Farms, Queen Creek, AZ.

From the gorgeous Orchard Wedding inspiration table put together by Once Wed:

Delicious favors like the apple butter (above) or caramel apples (below)!

And who can resist the allure of wedding pies instead of wedding cake?  Check out this beautifully styled concept from Lyndsey Hamilton Events: 

I'm in love with autumn, and its flavors and colors.   Maybe it's just the 100+ Phoenix heat (still!) getting to me, but I can't imagine a more beautiful setting or theme than an orchard wedding.