Whimsical Cupcakes
March 13, 2008

I know I have mentioned it before, but I love cupcakes. They somehow are always just the right amount of dessert, have a perfect cake to frosting ratio and don't require the fussiness of a plate and fork (making it that much easier to NOT turn them down..)
Using cupcakes in place of a wedding cake has been a trend that we have seen more and more in the last few years and one that I love. There are tons of gorgeous ways to display the little treats- I love the idea of stacking vintage cake pedestals to create a cupcake tower or adorning the tops of the cupcakes with fresh flowers for a punch of color. An all white cupcake tower with white wrappers mimic the look of a traditional wedding cake and can look stunning too.
How gorgeous are these lacy wrappers I found at Estillo Weddings? They seem like the perfect way to have the playful whimsy of a cupcake, but still a completely elegant look for a wedding. :)

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Flea Market Finds
March 11, 2008

I am so excited to share my flea market finds! I was on a mission for hobnail milk glass and was determined that I could do better than some of the crazy ebay prices I see..
I picked up a few sweet (cheap!) pieces and filled with flowers and herbs from around my yard (and the help of Trader Joes..) As much as I may like to be, a green thumb I am not.
Spring is one of my most favorite times of the year. Growing up in Portland, where the skies are almost year round a dreary shade of grey, spring was a time when the sun came out, the skies became blue(er) and my mom's incredible garden would begin to wake up and come bursting into rich color. We would begin wearing shorts (despite the still, very chilly temperature) and run barefoot on the wet grass. How I have been spoiled by my adult life in sunny California..
These little arrangements represent that spring feeling I had as a child and put a smile on my face.


{I filled a milk glass cup with Tulips, Ranunculus and herbs and made a quick centerpiece with grapefruits (from our tree!) and plums (from the grocery store..) Some leftover fabric I had lying around made a runner and my grandmother's old tablecloth gave our patio table a cute vintage look.}


{Various sizes and shapes filled with vibrant spring time blooms. Freesia, Tulips, Ranunculus, Larkspur, and Daffodils create such a cheery look. A little Martha tip- be sure not to mix Daffodils with other blooms. Their stems contain a poisonous sap which causes other flowers to wilt quickly. Miki gets all the credit for arranging the gorgeous footed vase flowers..}


{I think the dining room table is smiling too..}

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Flea Market Fun

I had been looking forward to this past weekend for some time for a couple of reasons. First, on Saturday was the incredible wedding of Megan and Sean at the Skirball Center. I cannot wait to see the gorgeous images from the super fun, totally amazing, Amy and Stuart. :)
Congrats Megan and Sean- I can't stop smiling from your beautiful day!
Also, on Sunday was the Rose Bowl Flea Market (which only roles around on the 2nd Sunday of each month..) and I was on a mission for some great finds for some of our upcoming weddings. Miki, my assistant coordinator (and resident vintage style guru) came along to help. We were both in flip-flop bliss (after a long day on our feet the day before) scouring the stalls for the items we had set out to find.
Flea Markets are full of fabulous wedding finds. We snapped a few pics while we were there that I thought would be fun to share.


{Vintage metal letters on old pieces of painted wood become darling signs. My eye went straight to the "They Lived Happily Ever After" and "Cocktails" signs- how cute would they be for a wedding?}


{I am obsessed with old glass bottles. A little fun fact- the purple hue in the glass is actually a side effect of the manganese in them. Because of the lead shortages during the Civil War, glass manufacturers used manganese to give the glass clarity. When exposed to sunlight, glass with manganese eventually turns this light purple shade. These purple glass bottles can all be dated between the years between 1860-1915 because of their color. (This is also why these tiny bottles are so expensive!) }


{Here are just a couple of the many chandeliers. Can you tell I was on a purple kick? }


{I loved this piece. Too bad I have no room for it!}


{The collections of drawer pulls throughout the day was impressive. Miki snagged some to revamp an old dresser.}


{Fun, old kitchen gadgets..}


{How cute are these tiny school house chairs? I had to sit on one (gently) to show the scale. We thought they would be perfect for a kids table or a row just for the little ones at a ceremony..}

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Ashley & Aron's wedding
March 5, 2008

Aron and Ashley are a couple very close to my heart. They were one of my very first booked clients when I decided to follow my dream and start {duet} Weddings. I didn't have a pretty portfolio to show off, a snazzy website, or a long list of references- but they believed in me and hired me for their big day (which was a whole year later..)
We had so much fun planning- whether over cappuccinos at Peet's (for which we both shared an obsession..) or glasses of wine- it was always such a blast to hang out.
Ashley and Aron are creative geniuses. They put so many sweet personal touches into their wedding. From designing their gorgeous paper products (letterpressed by Aardvark) to canning their own homemade lemon curd for favors (which doubled as place cards!) There was no detail overlooked by these two.
Their wedding was held at the gorgeous Firestone Crossroads Estate (no surprise, a favorite location of mine..) and was done in a modern, monochromatic white palette. Fluffy Spider Mums, Sweetpeas, Peonies, Freesia, Lisiantus and Ranunculus were romantic and luscious in texture, bringing a softness and warmth to the cool, modern look. Repeating these yummy clusters down the length of feasting style tables brought instant drama to the barn. Bursts of lemony yellow which were incorporated throughout the paper products and favors made for a sunny, spring inspired feeling.
Ashley and Aron- miss you tons all the way in NYC! Thanks so much for the opportunity to be a part of your gorgeous wedding day. :)
Enjoy the beautiful photos from Kasey Lennon for Rikka Zimmerman Photography.



{ All about the details~ Ashley and Aron created a most touching ceremony with the help of Rev Jerry Bellamy. The menu included multiple tasting courses, taking advantage of the best seasonal ingredients thanks to the always amazing, Lorraine Lim. Ashley and Aron know and love their cheese. An incredible cheese display (complete with oversized chalkboard menu describing each cheese in detail) was brought in. I went to my friends at Silverlake Cheese to find out where they found their adorable mini chalkboards used for their displays, and it turns out- Joann's Fabrics sells them in bulk! With a white paint pen, Ashley and Aron created little markers for each cheese on the display with these darling mini chalkboards. Ashley and Aron's programs were bound with a simple black twine and included a gorgeous hand sketched (by Ashley!) family tree inside. Jars of lemon curd had sweet labels with a yellow oak tree outline. Jars were attached to escort cards as a way to outsmart that pesky Santa Ynez Valley wind! The gorgeous florals were provided by Bella Ambiance. }



{More details~ The oh-so-yummy (and gorgeous) cake was inspired by a Martha Stewart photo by Robyn Loves Cake. Ashley's perfect lace dress was by Vera Wang. Not pictured but most worthy of a shout-out- Gavin Roy kept the dance floor packed all night!}

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Sunny Yellow for Spring
March 3, 2008

I know I have mentioned this already, but I am completely obsessed with yellow for spring! It is just so cheery and fun and totally versatile.
I decided to put together a board of yummy yellows for you to enjoy and be inspired by!

{Photos: Dress by Karta, Flower girl slippers from Brides, scarf by Millions of Smile, Bouquet by Artfool, arrangement by Artfool, Macarons by Paulette's Macarons, dress by Rachel Pally, yellow fan from Brides, bridesmaid bouquets of kermit mums with orchids from Brides, Shoes from JCrew, clutch by Lauren Mirken, glass urn and candle sticks by Belle Fleur.}

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