admin, Author at Soiree Floral

My Favorite Things – Chair Decor

December 20, 2013

Happy Friday! As we’ve been creating our new portfolio books and putting new images up on the website we realized we had some clients with really fun ideas when it came to the chair department. We had fun making flower garlands, breaking out the sewing machine and stitching up fabric blooms. We even suspended special family memento’s off chair backs to add to the look of the head table. As you plan the details for your big day keep this little element of surprise in mind! It makes for a great detail photo and in some cases a little memento or keepsake you can hold on to. What chair design defines your style? Happy Holidays!

My Favorite Things – First Kiss

December 17, 2013

Happy Tuesday everyone. It’s that time of year when we start to look back on all the fun we’ve had with clients. There is always a flurry of excitement when we pour over all the images we get in from photographers reliving all the details that went in to someone’s very special day. Today I wanted to share that ‘first’ kiss right after the ‘I Dos’. Couples are always beaming from ear to ear. It’s the look of ‘it’s official’ and it’s just so darn cute. We’ve tried to include as many couples as possible as we don’t have all our images yet. I’m sure you’ll be smiling at the end of this post just like I am.
Happy holidays!

Chapel Designers

December 13, 2013

Happy Friday everyone. This post is looooong overdue. I think partly because it’s taken this long for me to digest everything that has happened with Soiree Floral and Dawn Kelly Designs since attending an amazing conference this past March in NYC. As a business owner, I am always looking for ways to grow the business, my knowledge, learn new skills, tips and tricks. I’m always pushing to be better. I stumbled upon an incredible group of people who have been kind, gracious, supportive, nurturing and encouraging when I need it most. These are my new friends the Chapel Designers.

We started with an opening reception the night before in the New York Flower District. A great mixer to introduce ourselves to each other. The next morning we jumped right in with guest speakers Abby Larson from Style Me Pretty, Anne Chertoff, Naomi de Manana from Martha Stewart and so many other wonderful designers who shared their stories and knowledge.

The next day was hands on at David Beahm’s design studio. There we were designing with Karen Tran, Holly Chapple, and David Beahm himself. They were so genuine and gracious and humble. The kind of people that make you believe that being kind and grateful with get you far in whatever career path you choose to walk.

The next day had us touring the Martha Stewart offices, and let me tell you, there’s a reason she’s the maven of everything. The offices were immaculate! Everything had it’s place. After that we headed to the rooftop of the hotel for a hands on workshop with the one and only Ariella Chezar. It was fun to hear her process and how she pulls a tablescape together from fabric to blooms and how it all relates.

It was an intense three days and it’s helped me make better business decisions, let me know that I’m not ‘crazy’ when I’m worried the blooms won’t match the menu or linens even though we painstaking chose every item for a reason. That getting up in the middle of the night to check on my flower babies in the cooler is a normal thing any designer would do. That anything is possible if you just leap. I am extremely thankful to my Chapel Designer family for the support they gave throughout this year. It was our best year yet and we’re dreaming even bigger for 2014. A special thanks to Holly Chapple for for asking ‘who wants to meet me in NYC’. Happy holidays everyone!

What to Wear… to a Holiday Soiree

December 10, 2013

Deciding what to wear on a day to day basis can often be a challenge… and even more of a challenge when you’ve got a party to go to!

The ladies at Soiree are known sequin lovers, so anything with a little bit of glitz will do the trick for us!

We’ve created a couple of boards to help you plan your upcoming party attire.

Now if only we had a party to attend for every pretty dress…

Not one to wear a dress? No problem!
Here’s our board for party-ready looks that don’t require a dress but are still fun and festive!

And as if these boards weren’t enough… here are a few Pinterest boards we can’t stop looking at!

Happy Holiday Mingling!

Cheers,
The Soiree Team

Tasty Tuesday – Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken

December 3, 2013

The fall/winter seasons brings so many things…

cooler weather, new TV shows, shorter days, and for me, time to try out new recipes!

Today I’m sharing a little recipe my family can’t get enough of –

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken.

At our house, we prefer boneless skinless thighs, but if you prefer breast, you could easily substitute.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Boneless Skinless Organic Chicken Thighs – about 1.3 lbs. (Usually comes with 6 thighs.)

6 slices of Boars Head Prosciutto (or your preferred brand)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat baking sheet with olive oil, or your choice of oil. Rinse chicken and season with pepper. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each thigh. Place baking sheet on middle rack and bake for 35-40 mins. Chicken will be done when it is golden brown and prosciutto is crispy.

Before the oven…

The final product! Yum!

For tonight’s dinner, I’m preparing two side dishes – Roasted Broccoli and Israeli Cous Cous.

Cook Cous Cous according to package on container. Mine calls for 1 1/4 cups of water to 1 cup of pasta. I use chicken broth for more flavor. Once cooked, I season mine with a little salt and lemon juice to keep the pasta from sticking.

Serves 4.

Enjoy!

Julie

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

November 28, 2013

A Thanksgiving Table Four Ways

November 27, 2013

We know everyone is busy getting their last minute grocery lists together and starting to prep for THE day where you eat, and eat, and eat! We wanted to give some last minute inspiration for you Thanksgiving Table. We did up four different centerpiece ideas that work no matter how big or small your space is.

First up – loads of candlelight. Some people can’t have blooms at their table because they are allergic or they just don’t have enough space. Here, we layered the table with loads candlelight. Chunky pillar candles in different colors and sizes and some fun square shaped shell votives in an amber color give a fabulous glow.

Next up, for the flower lover – treat you and your guests to Mother Nature’s eye candy. Keep things harmonius by sticking to colors that all blend together and go easy on the eye. Stay away from flowers with fragrance since this day is all about the turkey and pumpkin pie!

If you need room for serving dishes, these wooden cubes are the perfect size to fit in between food dishes and stay well below eye level to keep the conversation flowing.

If you are a city dweller space is a commodity! A modern, small design still packs a lot of punch with blooms like callas, orchids, roses, and celosia.

If you are feeling adventurous you can even whip up some of these fun candy creations. We’ve all seen them on Pinterest, and I thought I’d try them out. I have to say, the turkey’s are not as easy as they look. Fun to put together, but they take a little time. The little acorns on the other hand, you can whip up a dozen in under 10 minutes. Put one of these at each place setting with a name tag and your guests are sure to feel the love.

Whatever your style, have fun as you pull your table together for your nearest and dearest.
Happy Thanksgiving from our table to yours!

Tasty Tuesday – Thanksgiving Inspiration

November 26, 2013

Thanksgiving is a time for tradition… but sometimes, it’s good to mix things up a little.

Here are some recipes that might inspire you to put a spin on your traditional

Thanksgiving dishes.

Sides:

Quinoa Stuffing with Sweet Potatoes and Dried Cranberries

via With Style & Grace

Rosemary Roasted Carrots

via Oh My Veggies

Citrus and Pomegranate Brussels Sprouts

via A Beautiful Mess

Desserts:

Apple Pie Cookie Bars

via Home Is Where The Cookies Are

Pumpkin Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

Via Pressure Cooking Today

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Spice Filling

via Delish

Which recipe will you choose to mix it up this year?

For more inspiration follow our Thanksgiving boards on Pinterest!

Natural Thanksgiving

Modern Thanksgiving

Traditional Thanksgiving

Happy Eating,

Jules

Fall Inspired Creations

November 25, 2013

It’s Thanksgiving week and we thought it would be fun to share some fall inspired tables and arrangements. There’s still time to to add a little something special to your Thanksgiving table this week. Take a look and get inspired as you get ready to host family and friends this Thursday. Be sure to check out some of our Chapel Designer friends’ blog posts on this topic as well. They have some beautiful ideas too.

Here’s a fun way to dress up your entry

Not a fan of all that color? Here’s a neutral tablescape using natural elements and wood tones. Add a little shimmer with a charger and you are all set!

Here’s an easy way to dress up a place setting. Get jute string, tie around your napkin and tuck in a fresh sprig of rosemary and lavender.

Our designer friends:

Holly Chapple Flowers

Colonial House Flowers

Flower Friday – Dahlias

November 22, 2013

Dahlias have become a popular wedding flower and for good reason. They come in an array of colors, sizes and shapes. We love the texture they bring to any bouquet or arrangement. We’re crushing on them so much we decided to dedicate this post to all things dahlia! Enjoy the eye candy.

Tasty Tuesday – Tres Leches Cake

November 19, 2013

We’re back with another Tasty Tuesday. We love the typical pumpkin pie, apple pie and pecan pie most of us serve at Thanksgiving. But we thought it might be fun to shake it up a little, and add one of our all time favorite desserts to the mix – Tres Leches Cake.

It’s simply divine, and we had no idea what went in to making it so we tested out a few recipes. To be honest, once the research began, we cringed a little about just what goes in to this to make it delicious. Heavy cream and lots of egg yolks! Not something we typically keep in the fridge (unless it’s the month of December and we’re baking away).

We’ve decided to do a little recipe battle to figure out who’s cake is better:

The Pioneer Woman’s or Emril Lagasse’s?

Up first: The infamous Tres Leches by The Pioneer Woman

Secondly, here’s Emril’s Tres Leches Cake:

We liked them both, and we found while each had their own twist, they taste similar. This is much easier to make than we thought it would be and whipping up the egg whites made the cake light and airy. It’s a must try, and we think a great addition to your Thanksgiving table. Enjoy!

Flower Friday – Video by Ink Spot Crow

November 15, 2013

Happy Friday everyone! It’s Flower Friday once again and today we have a little treat to share. Our friends over at Ink Spot Crow filmed a wedding wedding we did at the Sconset Casino this past September. We had fun transforming the space into a Mid Summer Night’s Dream kind of feel. We had abundant amounts of greenery, loads of plants, petals, lanterns and other rentals along with dreamy florals for this one. The linens were fun, the details were to die for and we can’t wait to get our hands on the photos. I think one of my favorite details of this wedding was the flower garland on the back of the bride and groom’s chairs. They were so fun to create! More on this wedding when we get the professional images. Until then, enjoy!

vendors included:

photography – Jose Villa

cinematography – Ink Spot Crow

ceremony – First Congregational

reception – Sconset Casino

dress – Oscar de la Renta

table settings – Placesetters

cake – Jodi’s Cakes

event design/floral decor – Dawn Kelly Designs

caterer – Nantucket Catering Co

lighting – Billy Voss

ceremony music – Boston String Quartet

coordinator – Jimmy Jaksic

rehearsal dinner – Jetties

Tasty Tuesday – Stuffed Acorn Squash

November 12, 2013

We’re back with another edition of Tasty Tuesday. There is still a pop of color in the trees here in CT and the days are crisp. It definitely has me turning my thoughts towards Thanksgiving.

We often cook the same traditional recipes for Thanksgiving every year, and I love that. We only cook them on that day (we really should cook them more often!) and we savor every bite. I do try, however, to sneak in one new dish. I stumbled on this recipe as I was flipping through the latest issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine. It looked tasty, different, and I realized I’ve never, ever had acorn squash. What a shame, because this recipe is so amazing that I’ve already made it twice! It’s definitely a bigger portion and works well for a fall dinner also (it’s vegetarian but you could easily add a portion of protein for a full meal). Try it out and see what you think! This is definitely staying in my rotation of fall faves.

Recipe for Roasted Squash with Shallots, Grapes and Sage

Here are a few images from trying out the recipe

Flower Friday – Trailing Bouquets

November 8, 2013

Trailing bouquets have become en vogue, especially since The Royal Wedding. Long gone are trailing bouquets of the past that were so structured, stiff, formal, and more often that not a bit gawdy. Now, when we see an ad campaigns from the likes of BHLDN, we see a soft, romantic bohemian feel. Bouquets that are a little wild, full of texture and voluminous. They look great with so many of the designer gowns in the market today. We rounded up a few of our favorites that we’ve done to give inspiration to those brides trying to decide on their type of bouquet.

Tasty Tuesday – Fall Inspired Hummus

November 5, 2013

You might recall, we did a post this summer on homemade hummus – the Soiree girls are all about hummus (If you missed our summer post, you can read all about Kelsey’s homemade hummus here) and believe it or not, we’re still not sick of it!

To celebrate the end of our wedding season, we enjoyed lunch at Cru on a crisp fall day. This was where we first had the inkling for fall hummus! Erin Zircher prepared such a delicious butternut squash hummus, we couldn’t wait to get our aprons on and our hands in the kitchen!

Here’s our top 3 Fall Inspired Hummus Recipes:

Sweet Potato Hummus

This recipe is from A Simply Raw Life
Sweet potatoes are a packed with Vitamin A & C, Potassium and Calcium. This recipe is an easy way to sneak more vitamins into your diet in a fun and easy way!

Ingredients:
2 Medium Sweet Potatoes – Steamed
2 tbs. Olive Oil
2 tbs. Tahini
3 Cloves of Garlic
Juice of 1 Lemon
Zest of 1/2 a Lemon
1/2 – 1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (some like it hotter than others!)
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1/2 tsp. Cumin
Sea Salt to taste
1/4 Cup of Water

Once the potato is cooked and cooled, scoop it out of the skin and toss in your food processor.
Add all other ingredients except the water. Blend until smooth.
Slowly add in the 1/4 cup of water until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
Taste test, and adjust spices or salt to taste. Blend some more, then enjoy
with veggies, crackers, pretzels or bread.

Pumpkin Hummus
It’s that time of year… the Pumpkin Spiced Latte is back, Halloween has passed and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Here’s a recipe we found that is healthy and keeping with the pumpkin season.
This recipe came from Bakeaholic Mama.

Ingredients:
1 – 15oz. can of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Cup of Pumpkin Puree (kudos to you if it’s homemade!)
1 tbs. Tahini
1 tbs. Olive Oil
1 tbs. Lemon Juice
1/2 tbs. Maple Syrup
1/4 tsp. Salt

Ready? This one is SO easy!

Toss everything into your food processor and blend, blend, blend until smooth!
Top with roasted pumpkin seeds and enjoy with pretzels, naan, or your favorite crackers.

Roasted Squash Hummus
This recipe came from zenbelly.

Ingredients:
3lbs. of Squash (Butternut or your favorite hard squash)
1 tbs. Olive Oil
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
1 Cup Tahini
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1 Cup Olive Oil (the tbs. above is used when roasting squash)
Optional: 1/8tsp. Chipotle (or use more paprika for a milder flavor)

Now that you’ve got all your ingredients together… you’re ready to roll!

Preheat oven to 425.
Slice your squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and smoked paprika and arrange on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes – 1 hour, until very soft.
Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the squash into a blender or food processor.
Add lemon juice, tahini and chipotle or paprika. Blend until smooth.
Drizzle in the olive oil a little bit at a time, and continue to blend until smooth.
Taste test – feel free to add more chipotle, paprika, cayenne, lemon juice or salt and season to taste.
Serve with veggies or pretzels or crackers of your choice!

We’re in the kitchen now, taste testing away!
Can’t wait to share more recipes on our new Tasty Tuesday weekly feature.

Until next time,

Julie

Happy Halloween

October 31, 2013

We’re having fun making masks out of foliages today in honor of Halloween. I was inspired by some of our designer friends who got together out in Portland. They have some amazing things growing in their backyards to play with, and they created some true pieces of art. Here in CT, we have lots of leaves so we’re putting them to use. Here’s hoping you have a spook-tacular day!

ONLY Nantucket Features Creative Women in Business

October 25, 2013

The latest issue of ONLY Nantucket is out and some of our beautiful couples are being featured in the wedding section. There is a lot of eye candy on those pages for couples who are turning their attention to 2014 nuptials.

I’m also humbled and honored to say that there is a feature on creative women in business and I am in fabulous company to be featured alongside Hanna Blount, Jen Fraker, Jenny Bence, Meghan Trainor, and Cara Deheart. Running your own business and creating your own brand is not for the faint of heart. It can be (and is!) all consuming and sometimes you are so in the thick of things you don’t look up to stop and enjoy the fruits of your labor. It’s so inspiring to be surrounded by so many strong, creative women who believe in what they do and are making a difference doing what they love.

I was lucky enough to have a strong group of gals alongside me this year and looking back on an incredible season of growth makes me proud. We have so much more to accomplish and learn and do! If there is one thing running a business has taught me, it’s that you certainly can’t do it all on your own. Surrounding yourself with good people, being open to other’s ideas and having a good support system is key.

I’m really looking forward to the upcoming holiday season and finishing the year strong.

Fall Clean-up Tag Sale!

October 18, 2013

If you’re on Nantucket, you might have seen our signs posted around town –

we’re having a Tag Sale!

We have lots of goodies for sale – new and gently used items!

Baskets, Vases, Chinese Lanterns, Candles, Metal Lanterns, Fabric, Onion Lanterns,

Craft Supplies, Candelabras and so much more!

We’ll be hosting the sale tomorrow, October 19th from 9am to 12pm

at 5 Seikinnow Place, off Rugged Rd. & Fairgrounds Rd.

We hope to see you there!

And don’t forget to bring a friend!

Happy Friday!

Columbus Day

October 14, 2013

Happy Columbus Day everyone! Hope you’re enjoying the crisp fall weather (for those of you in New England) and the long weekend if you’re lucky enough to have today off!

The ladies at Soiree Floral are gearing up for a big announcement – so we’ll be quietier than usual the next week or two on blogging and social media, but we promise it’ll be worth the wait!

Keep an out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for teasers and updates between now and the end of the month!

We can’t wait to tell you all about what’s to come!

Happy Fall!

October 11, 2013

We’ve had one busy season full of amazing brides, families and guests. I’m still walking around in sandals and flip flops, and I’m still calling it summer. That is until yesterday. I finally realized September flew by in the blink of an eye and it’s already almost mid-October. I stopped to look around and I saw pumpkins outside front doors, on porch steps, cornstalks for sale at the farm. I decided it was time to acknowledge fall has officially arrived here on Nantucket. As we start to wind down our season, I went in to the cooler to grab some ‘leftovers’ and went foraging for bittersweet, berries and pods to create a little something for my team and I to enjoy as we come and go at the studio.

Happy fall ya’ll!

Real Wedding – Lush Pink & White at The Chanticleer

October 7, 2013

Amanda and Aaron tied the knot in the garden of the Chanticleer this past July

under a lush, garden-inspired chuppah at the end of a petal-filled aisle.

Amanda was inspired by her grandmother’s love of flowers and she wanted everything to be lush, lush, lush! Shades of pink were used throughout her color palette – a girl after our own hearts!

And not to mention, her shoes! We love a girl who can rock a pair of hot pink shoes on her wedding day!

From the beginning Amanda had hoped to carry a bouquet of peonies, and we were able to make her dream come true!

The bridesmaids carried all-white bouquets that popped off of their blush gowns.

The design for the reception was a soft, pastel palette of whites, pinks and greens. Mercury glass elements added a little shimmer to the tables.

Such a lovely couple and what an amazing wedding to be a part of!

Wishing you all the happiness, Amanda & Aaron!

Vendors:

Ceremony & Reception: The Chanticleer

Floral Design & Prop Rentals: Soiree Floral

Event Design: Dawn Kelly Designs

Photography: Zofia & Co.

All Other Rentals: Placesetters

Cake: Jodi’s Cakes

Hair: Darya Salon

Makeup: YG Makeup

Real Wedding – White Elephant Hotel

October 4, 2013

Robbi and Jason were married waterfront at the White Elephant Hotel this past June under clear blue skies.

Robbi knew exactly what she wanted from the beginning – a white color palette with pops of lavender and purple. She carried an all-white bouquet of peonies, hydrangea and stock down the aisle and had her maid of honor carry a pastel posy of roses, stock and hydrangea.

The centerpieces were done in a lovely summer color palette that stood out against the white linens.

We loved working with Robbi and Jason – it’s always fun to design with summer colors.

Vendors included:

Ceremony and Reception – White Elephant Hotel

Floral Design – Soiree Floral

Cake – Jason’s Cousin at Celestial Sweets

Photography – Zofia & Co.

Wishing you many years of happiness!

Real Wedding – Great Harbor Yacht Club

September 30, 2013

Jessica and Steve were married in June on a perfect Nantucket day. The bride knew from the beginning she wanted a more formal feel to things. Black dresses and tuxes helped set the tone for the rest of the day. They were married at First Congregational Church followed by a reception at the White Elephant.

Jessica loved the color coral paired with white, and Mother Nature gave us some amazing coral peonies for her big day. Super callas, dahlias and gladiola’s helped round out the flowers. We used a mix of modern, clean designs on some of the tables, and softer, lush blooms on other tables. When we heard Jessica loved bling we had the perfect linens in mind. The head table had a rose gold sequined runner and it showcased the vases and blooms perfectly. We used a fun coral print outside for cocktail hour and it looked fabulous against a big, blue sky.

Wishing you two years and years of happiness. We enjoyed being a part of your day!

Vendors included:

Church: First Congregational

Venue: Great Harbor Yacht Club

Coordinator: Jimmy Jaksic

Rentals: Placesetters

Design/Decor – Dawn Kelly Designs

Cake: Jodi’s Cakes
Hair: Darya Salon
Bride’s Dress: Vera Wang
Bride’s Shoes: Valentino
Bridesmaid Dresses: Two Birds
Stationery: Dauphine Press and Parchment

Photography: Brea McDonald

Real Wedding – White Elephant

September 27, 2013

Allegra and Chris were married on a spectacular Saturday afternoon in August. A bright blue sky with a ceremony on the lawn at the White Elephant. We kept the ceremony flowers white and gave the bridesmaids and the reception pops of corals, peaches and pinks. Fun details like striped linens and town signs completed the tablescapes. We think our bride could pass for a certain photographer’s twin. When Allegra came to see us at the studio we did a double take and thought Zofia had stopped by for some behind the scenes shots. They really could pass as siblings! Beautiful families inside and out. Congratulations you two. Hugs!

vendors:

ceremony and reception venue: White Elephant

hair: RJ Miller

cake: Jodi’s cakes

makeup: YG Makeup

bridesmaid dresses: JCrew

photographer: Zofia & Co

Britt and Ethan – A Nantucket Fete

September 23, 2013

Britt and Ethan were married on a beautiful September day at a private home in Nantucket. What started out as a grey day gave way to a beautiful sky just before Britt walked down the aisle. This wedding was a lot of fun for us to work on for so many reasons. Aside from an absolutely lovely couple, we had a lot of creative freedom. Britt is a clothing designer and as you’ll see from her amazing couture dress, she has a distinct eye for contrasting elements. That was one of our key points when designing this wedding. It was the first time we really didn’t have a color palette to work off of. We really wanted to have light vs dark, smooth vs texture, ruffles vs stripes. You get the idea. The first thing that came to mind for me was flemish designs. The idea of taking imperfect things and pairing them with something striking.

Britt’s dress was a show stopper so we wanted to keep her bouquet simple and elegant. You can’t get more elegant than a bouquet of lily of the valley! Her sister’s dresses were also done in a rich color so we kept their bouquets on the simpler side as well.

In working on the ceremony, we wanted to be sure that the ocean and rolling grasses took center stage. We didn’t want a lot of extra ‘fluff’ so we made sure we had one stunning trellis done in fall colors with burnt hydrangea. I have to say this is one of my favorite looks of the season. Mother Nature gave us some gorgeous things to work with that week!

Our one ode to the nautical flair of the island came from the escort ‘table’. The couple found these amazing openers for their guests and I wanted to create a fun way to display them. So we put them on full display with the blue and white stripes and a rusty anchor. Guests had a ball finding their mermaids and fish.

With an abundance of blooms, pods, berries, grasses and vessels in all shapes and sizes, we created an eclectic yet formal flair in the tent. Britt had found several different fabrics to create a table runner and we decided on the stripes for their masculinity and to help ground some of the more feminine shapes and colors. Paper belly bands wrapped around each napkin let the guests know where to sit.

To add some fun to the entrance of the tent, we created an ‘arch’ out of stars, and as the sun set, they lit up. When we showed up for breakdown the next morning, it was clear that a good time was had by all (I think a few guests wore the stars in the wee hrs of the night/morning!).

Congratulations to Britt and Ethan on their big day! It was such a pleasure working with you and your families! Here’s to many happy anniversaries!

Vendors included:

photography – Zofia & Co

bridal gown – Vera Wang

venue – Whale’s Watch

hair and make-up – Darya Salon

rentals – Placesetters

tent – Nantucket Tents

event design/lighting – Dawn Kelly Designs

florals/design – Soiree Floral

band – Beantown

event coordinator – Unique Nantucket

catering – Nantucket Catering Co

Real Wedding – Sankaty Golf Club

September 20, 2013

Tracy and Jay were married in June with their ceremony at the Unitarian church followed by a reception at Sankaty Golf Club. I met Tracy over the winter to start planning the details and as soon I heard about their family history and ties to Nantucket I knew we were going to have fun. We went with an all white and green color scheme to compliment the navy attire of all the attendants. Hints of burlap made things less formal and blended in beautifully with all the rich wood in the club. Loads of candlelight made fora dreamy evening.

Vendors included:

ceremony: Unitarian Church

reception: Sankaty Head Golf Club

hair and makeup: Darya Salon

cake: Jodi’s Cakes

coordinator: Jimmy Jaksic

photography: Zofia & Co

Real Wedding – Tented Affair in Madaket

September 16, 2013

Sarah and John were married on a gorgeous June day at the First Congregational Church in Nantucket. Their reception followed at a private home in Madaket. Sarah carried her navy and white color scheme with hints of berry in everything from her stationery suite to her cocktail hr. The bridesmaid dresses had a big, fun print on them so we kept the bouquets very simple with a single white peony bloom. The cocktail hour had fun details and vibrant colors and the tent was nothing but shades of white and silver. With the big blue ocean as their backdrop they had a dreamy evening to dance the night away with their guests.

Vendors included:

Photography: Brandon Kidd

Teremony – First Congregational Church

Tent – Nantucket Party Rentals

Rentals – Rentals Unlimited, Placesetters

Catering – Nantucket Catering Company

Planner – Unique Nantucket

Lighting – Billy Voss

Event Design – Dawn Kelly Designs

Cake – Jodi’s Cakes

Real Wedding – A Tented Affair in Tom Nevers

September 13, 2013

Catherine and Graham were married on a perfect July day. When we first started talking about the big day, Catherine had an inspiration picture that we used as a guide to bring their big day to life. A beautiful color scheme of ivory, beige, pale blush, peach and minty greens.

As we got closer to the day we started really focusing on the little details that would make for some fun photos and great memories. Catherine let us have fun with her bouquet handle and we fashioned a fabric rosette with silk shantung and a glittery ‘B’ for her ‘new’ last name. I’m a sucker for trailing ribbons and I was so thrilled we got to adorn the handle with more silk ribbons in soft, sandy colors.

Grahams parents called us with a special request to surprise the couple after the ceremony with a garland draped on Graham’s car. We were happy to oblige. We saw that garland several times driving around the island that weekend – a fun reminder of the perfect weekend for a very special couple. We enjoyed every minute of working with this fun family.

rehearsal dinner: Whaling Museum

ceremony: Sconset Chapel

reception: private home

tent: Nantucket Party Rentals

coordinator: Nantucket Island Events

hair and makeup: Darya Salon

band: Sultans of Swing

stationery: Nico and Lala

bridesmaids gowns: J. Crew

bridal gown: Monique Lhuillier

caterer: Nantucket Catering Co

photos by Zofia & Co

Real Wedding -Sankaty Golf Club

September 9, 2013

We’re back with another real wedding to feature today. When we first started working with our bride Kristin, she was having a hard time narrowing down the color choices. She kept coming back to a deep raspberry color, but also loved how serene green and white look. So, we decided to incorporate the deep pink with the bridesmaids bouquets for a shot of color in the church, and allowed the reception to be a little more subdued and elegant. Something I often do with brides when they love more than several colors and can’t let one go.

Kristin and her family began summering on Nantucket beginning in the late 80s. Every August, the family would pack their suburban to the gills and make the ten-hour trip from Maryland to Nantucket. From fishing-trips to beach cook outs at Smith Point, Nantucket has always been a very special place for Kristin’s family. While in college, Kristin spent every summer working on the Island at a local clothing boutique. Tim made several trips with his Dad on their boat in the mid and late 90’s on cruises up from Long Island.

Every year since the couple met, they have made trips to the island together and have explored and grown to love and appreciate the island more every time. They wanted to get married in a place they had both had great childhood memories and where they will continue to create memories as they expand their family.

Vendors

Venue: Sankaty Head Golf Club

Bride’s Dress and Veil: Vera Wang

Bride’s Shoes: French Sole New York

Bride’s Earrings: Ippolita

Bridesmaids Dresses: Lula Kate

Groom’s Suit: Jos A. Bank

Groomsmen Attire: Ralph Lauren

Wedding Planner: Aisling Glynn – ACKtivities

Floral Designer: Dawn Kelly – Soiree Floral

Event Design/Décor – Dawn Kelly Designs

Photographer: Cary Hazlegrove, second shooter Porter Gifford

Wedding Cake and Groom’s Cake: Jodi Levesque – Jodi’s Cakes

Band: Sultans of Swing

Calligrapher: Anne Mackechnie

Getaway Car: Highland Drivers

Rentals: Placesetters

Hair: RJ Miller Salon

Make-up: Beauty By the Sea

Real Wedding – Nantucket Yacht Club

September 6, 2013

We have a dreamy, colorful wedding to feature today. This family was so much fun to work with. I absolutely loved getting to work with all the rich colors Kimberly chose for her color palette. They have ties to Nantucket and our bride Kimberly tried to infuse fun touches throughout the wedding weekend to make it a memorable time for her guests.

Kimberly’s parents have spent many Septembers in Nantucket celebrating their anniversary, Kimberly came up to babysit a few times for family friends in high school, and waitressed at the Nantucket Yacht Club during a few college summers. After college she spent numerous summer weekends on island with girlfriends and when she met Ryan she surprised him with a 30th birthday trip to the island. This would be his first time there. They spent the week fishing, driving their Jeep out on the beaches, eating lobsters and drinking wine as the sun set off of Steps Beach. Ryan was hooked. When it came time to choose a wedding venue, the idea of having it in one of the many formal ballrooms or golf courses in or around the Baltimore area was not what they had in mind. It was such a treat to have their reception at the Nantucket Yacht Club. Kimberly used to work all of the weddings there when she waitressed and thought how lucky the brides were to be able to have their wedding in Nantucket and at such a beautiful place. 9 years later she was living that dream!