Project Wedding Blog

I love how they incorporated a little bit of green into their placecards, table numbers, and centerpieces. Since today is Earth day, I thought it would be appropriate to give you a little extra dose of this ultra chic green wedding. The bride was able to achieve a clean classic look using very inexpensive centerpieces made of a single candle wrapped with a single green leaf, accompanied by a single small red flower surrounded by river rocks. Very budget-friendly and very chic!

Location: The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park Colorado; www.stanleyhotel.com
Photography: a.h.p; www.ahpphotos.com
Dress: Priscilla of Boston; www.priscillaofboston.com
Coordination: Spice Jones with Calluna Events; www.callunaevents.com
Florist: Fleur Decor; www.fleurdecor.com
Baker: Nancy Best Cake Design www.nancybestcakedesign.com
Trio: Nancy McNeill Trio; www.dmamusic.org
Invitations: Breanna Doll with Anna-be - 720-855-1111
Videography: Rising Moon Video Productions; www.risingmoonvideo.com

Also make sure to check out Karen and Jason’s video highlights over at Rising Moon Video!
http://risingmoonvideo.blogspot.com/2008/10/each-of-us-has-got-little-charlie.html

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Probably one of my favorite parts about Karen and Jason’s wedding is how they incorporated a chic fall color palette throughout all of their floral details. From rustic reds to burnt orange and golds, one cannot help but gawk at the natural beauty of these flowers…

Please stay tuned! There is still more to come!

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Karen and Jason’s Colorado wedding is the epitome of classic and timeless. The wedding was held at the historic Stanley hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, and infused a lot of clean, classic lines and silhouettes that will stand the test of time.

A little more from the talented Imthiaz Houseman, who so kindly shared this wedding with us today…

Karen and Jason were married last summer at the historic Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. Fleur Décor provided stunning floral arrangements to bring out Karen’s classic and simple style. Karen and Jason implemented their love of music by having guests sign records provided by their favorite artist. Guests were also seated at tables named after music festivals Karen and Jason had attended before they were married. Karen worked closely with Calluna Events to make sure she had the wedding of her dreams.  With their laid back style they wanted to make sure the wedding day was well documented so they found the perfect match in award winning photojournalists a.h.p. Karen wanted to make sure a.h.p documented every detail from her jeweled shoes down to the center pieces. The day provided a breathtaking backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.

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In honor of earth day, I invited the talented ladies behind Lollipop Event and Designs to share this gorgeous green wedding concept that is as environmentally friendly as it is beautiful. This eco-chic table combines style with panache so that you can party while still keeping the planet earth in mind.

Table:

We created this table by using recycled Kraft paper as our table runner. We cut the edges of the paper with scrap booking scissors that had a decorative scalloped edge to give the runner a customized and textured feel. We then used a hole-puncher and punched holes about 1-½ “ inches apart. You can play around and punch them at any length apart to create different looks for your table. Next, we strung thin ribbon throughout each of the hole-punches to give the recycled runner an extra punch of color!

Centerpieces:

Small terracotta pots are widely available at any craft store or local gardening supply. We spray-painted ours white but you can spray paint them any color to change the overall look of the table. Next, we potted seasonal flowers in the pots and for a final touch we inserted garden herb markers into the pots, which doubled as the seating cards. These pots can make either a great personalized favor for your guests or an eco-statement, as you can re-use them as table cards for numerous parties to come!

To add drama to the table, we created a diorama within a large cylinder vase. Any large clear cylinder vase will create the same effect. We found sticks in our backyards and stuck them within the vase and added a butterfly to complete the garden effect! Last, we topped the vase with a moss ball that can be re-used time and time again.

Table Settings:

For the linen napkins we went to our local fabric store and found a small piece of leftover scrap fabric. No sewing was required for these napkins! We just measured and cut them with sewing scissors to the desired size.

Layer your plates with plain white plates from your kitchen cupboard with decorative plates found from your grandma’s china cabinet or your local thrift store. We also pulled vintage silverware out from the attic! Place the napkin and silverware on the plates in fun and interesting ways. We layered our plates on top of one of another, sandwiched the napkin in between at an angle and then put the vintage silverware on top. Play around, there are no rules!

Each guest also received an eco-friendly reusable water bottle that added to the décor of the table. These are favors that your guests will use time and time again. They are now widely available with numerous patterns, so have fun and match them to your event style.

Paper Candy:

We strategically placed standing garden/bistro style menus at each place setting. These were printed on recycled paper. Please see our paper candy section to purchase semi-custom menus similar to these.

Appetizer

Winter Organic Salad with Pears, Pine Nuts and Ricotta Salata from Organic Authority

Ingredients:

For Vinaigrette:

1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar

1 shallot minced

1 tablespoon of mustard

1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

For Salad:

4 cups of mesculin greens or your favorite greens, washed and dried

2 firm ripe pears

½ cup pine nuts toasted

3 – 4 oz of ricotta salata

Directions: Whisk together vinegar, shallot, mustard and lemon juice in a small bowl. Slowly add oil in a steady stream while constantly whisking until vinaigrette is emulsified and all oil has been added. Salt and pepper to taste. Halve pears lengthwise, remove core with a melon baller and cut into thin slices. Place lettuce in a salad bowl; thinly shave ricotta salata with a vegetable peeler into salad bowl. Add nuts and pears and gently toss with dressing. Serve immediately. Serves 4

Dessert:

Fresh Organic Lemon Verbena and Lavender Ice Cream from Organic Authority

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated organic sugar

1 cup of fresh organic lemon verbena leaves packed (if you can’t find fresh lemon verbena, use the zest of 2 lemons)

1/2-cup fresh organic lavender

2 cups whole organic milk
2 cups heavy organic cream

8 egg organic yolks

Sprigs of fresh organic lavender and lemon verbena for garnish. Yield: 1 quart

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, lemon verbena leaves, lavender, milk and cream. Bring to a boil and steep for 20 minutes covered. Strain. In another bowl whisk together egg yolks and sugar.

Whisk one cup of hot cream into egg mixture. Slowly whisk in new mixture to sauce pan with remaining milk. Stir constantly over low heat until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Immediately remove from heat and cool in an ice water bath or refrigerator until completely cool. Strain. Add the mixture to the electric ice cream maker. Process according to the manufacturers’ directions

Drink

Peach-Mint Green Tea from Better Homes & Gardens

Ingredients:

2 cups of cold water
5 green tea bags
1 12-ounce can peach nectar
1/2-cup fresh mint leaves, slightly crushed
3 tablespoons sugar
Ice cubes

Directions: Bring water just to boiling in a large saucepan. Remove from heat; add tea bags. Steep, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove and discard bags. Stir in nectar, mint, and sugar. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours. Strain tea mixture; serve over ice. Makes 5 servings.

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Turquoise and lemon yellow may seem like an unlikely combination, but when you see them together there’s no denying they just work. The combo is breezy and fun, and absolutely perfect for a beach wedding. Here are some ideas to spark your creativity:

Tags: blue, turquoise, yellow.

Cupcakes are the new black in the dessert world — and the Gucci of cupcake makers has got to be Cupcake Envy — making dozens of these gorgeous treats for bridal showers, wedding parties and gifts - shipping all over the country! See their wedding-inspired cakes here!

Tags: wedding cupcakes.

SATC fans rejoice, you can now own a version of Carrie’s Vivienne Westwood wedding gown creation when you say “I do” on your big day. I know some Carrie fans (i.e. my sister!) who will go ga-ga over this Carrie creation, available from Net-a-porter.

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My friend Nancy (one of my favorite florists in the SF Bay Area who I’ve raved before in the past) sent me an email about her new venture the Pink Blossom List. Being a HUGE fan of Nancy and her gorgeous work, I instantly checked it out and was so happy to see some of my favorite wedding vendors listed on their blog … Lisa Lefkowitz, Good on Paper, Hello Lucky, just to name a few! I’m always looking for new sources of inspiration, and I will definitely add them to my list of daily reads!

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I don’t know if you have heard about these lovely brides and this amazing non-profit organization, which travels across the country selling bridal gowns to support those in their fight against breast cancer.

Costs of the gowns can range anywhere from $89 to $799 — and they even have couture creations! Gowns with original price tags of $20,000 are sold for up to 75% of the original cost. Generous wedding gown manufacturers like David’s Bridal, Alfred Angelo and Paloma Blanca have also gotten involved, donating some gorgeous dresses for the cause.

They also are the inspirational founders of the Pink Envelope Project. Brides can be part of something really profound and make a difference by using their favor cards and Pink Envelopes at bridal showers and other events.  Any donations gathered will help prevent metastatic breast disease through early detection education and grant last wishes to stage V1 terminal breast cancer patients. As the women in my own family have been touched by breast cancer, I am very grateful to the Brides Against Breast Cancer for their selfless ways.

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Rich, warm and inviting. As a wedding color combination, you really can’t go wrong with red and orange. And we just love these simple place settings and flowers; it’s perfect for a DIY shower or wedding. It also demonstrates that just a little color can make a big impact.

Tablecloth and Chairs rented from West Coast Event Productions

Tags: Color, orange, red.