Ara recently styled a cocktail and flower arranging Birthday Party that was being thrown by Gabriella New York. Guests were greeted with delicious champagne and cheese platters. Rountree Flowers was on hand to teach a class at this fabulous feminine party! Check out some images below...
The cake was made by Lael Cakes -- doesn't it go perfectly with our party?
We used vintage teacups as vases for the flowers, however any and all types of glasses, cups, and bottles found in your home can be used to create a unique and fabulous arrangement!
The finished products were beautiful! Each guest took home their teacup arrangement in a personalized box. The beautiful photography was captured by Moss + Isaac and the birthday cake was made by Lael Cakes.
Visit Style Me Pretty to view the full post on our fabulous Birthday Party!
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, Ara shares styling tips with the Food Network for fun and easy to re-create centerpieces that are both grown-up and kid friendly!
Re-use wine bottles as candle holders and fill them with rice, grain and spices for a hearty look.
Cake stands filled with fruit, squash and gords paint the perfect holiday picture.
Using "non traditional" colors adds a bold statement to your Thanksgiving table.
Clilck here to view all of Ara's creative ideas for your centerpieces.
Ara also provided inspiration for your kids table!
This crayon table runner provides a fun way for kids to play while they wait for dinner.
Squash boats and vases, and ice cream cone cornucopias add a delicious touch!
We know incorporating pattern into your wedding can be a bit intimidating, but when done correctly, it can add tons of style, elegance and fun! Take a look at some tips on how to incorporate patterns and prints...
Set the tone for your patterned wedding with a fun invitation like this chevron print via The Knot
Stick with one pattern and incorporate it in multiple areas & colors for a united look. Also, choose a more simplified pattern or print so you don't overwhelm the table.
Here are some pics we snapped from our wedding last weekend at Falkirk Estate! The colorful palette and bow napkins give this wedding such a light-hearted effect while still maintaining a sophisticated look.
The garden inspired Chuppah was AMAZING!!!
Candy escort cards added a unique and whimsical touch as did the beautiful and colorful floral centerpieces done by Rebecca Shepherd Floral Designs
Take a sneak peek at a Gatsby Inspired Wedding we styled at a 1920s Mansion Estate. The wedding did not have a seated dinner at all. Instead the whole event was one grand cocktail party. Such a cool idea.
Here's some Iphone pics from our Labor Day Wedding. It took place at Brooklyn Winery, where we incorporated the rustic charm of the venue to create a soft and delicate feel. We did the flowers too!
We used wine bottles as vases, mason jars for flowers, and potted plants which included ivy and moss to add to the simple yet elegant look.
The Oxygen Network asked our own Ara Farnam to be a guest on their "All About" series with Tiffany Smith to talk about clever ideas for summer parties.
Check out the clip to see Ara's advice on how to quickly and easily make it look like you spent days planning your party, when it was actually so easy to put together with one strong color used throughout.
You have booked your perfect summer wedding and are looking forward to your big day with beautiful weather. Although some like it hot.. we have collected some sweet dessert ideas that will keep guests cool all while looking fabulous!
This wedding was one of the most interesting of 2011: cool Brooklyn couple, awesome rustic old Hudson Valley factory and a traditional Bengali Muslim ceremony.
The Basilica Hudson has an eclectic collection of chairs in house where the guests sat for the ceremony.
We hung marigold strands around the door to welcome the guests. One peaks out here in anticipation. The Imam who was performing the ceremony was about an hour late. Apparently this is fairly standard timing for a Bengali wedding!
Here comes Farihah! Definitely worth the wait.
Farihah and Jeff with the Imam. The backdrop was a collaboration between us and Brooklyn Guild.
Farihah and Jeff's wedding weekend was one where friends and family pitched in to compliment the ideas that Farihah, Jeff and I had collaborated on, along with the talented Annie from Brooklyn Guild. The reception included several performances by guests and family members. Several guests made videos that were shared on an old projector during the reception, Farihah's sister and bridesmaids did a traditional dance, and a family friend sang and performed poetry. This wedding was the most original I have been a part of, and was such a lovely expression of the joining of two families and a couple who is very clearly loved by their friends.
This wedding was featured on Style Me Pretty, and you can see the post here.
We had so much fun putting together this unique take on a rock and roll wedding with Megan and Derek and were lucky to get it published on 100 Layer Cake and HiFi Weddings!
We had such a great time working in Arizona, Ara's home state, that she is now officially taking on more Arizona weddings. She'll be there taking Phoenix area appointments in late February and would love to meet you if you have an upcoming wedding!
We were ecstatic to see Euree + Daniel's elegant wedding featured on Style Me Pretty earlier this week! The adorable couple and all the little details made this wedding so magical!
We were so excited to see the lovely dinner party we styled for Gabriella New York on Merci New York! We created an intimate fairytale themed event to play off of the gorgeous bridal salon.
When it comes to veils... style is everything. At Sara Gabriel Veiling, her pieces are romantic and feminine with tons of variations to choose from. Below are four of my favorite styles for various reasons.
This is a very 1950's inspired look with fresh water pearls that add feminine details.
This french net blusher veil with a silk organza flower is both sassy and elegant.
The gathering on this pout blusher is soft and complements any dress style with its simplicity.
This is a fabulous and multifunctional veil that can be a blusher for the ceremony, and a hairpiece during the reception. With this one you get the best of both worlds.
xoxo, Jordyn
Be sure to check out more Sara Gabriel stlyes on her WEBSITE
There are plenty of festive ways to enhance a fall wedding. Below are a plethora of options available for using pumpkins as a prop, from centerpieces to escort cards.
Leaves add a classy fall feel
Painting the pumpkins white is perfect for the occasion
Monogram pumpkins are a wonderful way to show off the new initial for your new last name
Mini pumpkin escort card holders... adorable
Who needs Mr. and Mrs. chair signs with a look like this
This makes a perfect centerpiece or focal point on a cake table
Want a vintage feel? Add lace to a pumpkin for a nostalgic flashback
Want an inexpensive way to add a little vintage to your wedding? Here are a few ideas using wallpaper to dress up your wedding with some old fashioned flair.
We were so lucky to work with some amazing vendors on this photo shoot produced by the lovely blog Aisle Candy and the photographer KT Merry. The full post was on Style Me Pretty, and here is a sampling.
The inspiration came from BHLDN's new line of wedding dresses. From there we decided to do a super soft, romantic, vintage inspired shoot that was 100% pretty. We shot at the Metropolitan Building, which is a super cool venue out in Long Island City, and we used all of the tableware from Anthropology.
I had the bright idea to do a sequin lined aisle, which came out beautifully, but word to the wise, you need a billion sequins to get a cool effect, and a good vacuum to pick them all up later!
I brought in some of my very favorite vendors to collaborate on this, including kat flower, Preston & Olivia, Nine Cakes and Love Jenna Calligraphy. The absolutely freaking amazing photography was done by KT Merry, who I feel truly lucky to have worked with. We also did a DIY project based on the favors in this shoot, which we'll feature next!
The shoot sprang from the inspiration of a Viewmaster Invitation by the lovely Melangerie, Inc.
Souvenir state plates chargers. More Ebay fun :)
Each of our tables was named after a famous American roadtrip landmark. We did a Grand Canyon and Graceland centerpiece vignette for this shoot.
Map placements were repurposed as a runner.
Our "groom" was name Jack, so we had to serve Jack and Cokes. And aren't the flags adorable?
You can check out more pictures and more details from all the vendors on the write up over on Style Me Pretty. Such a fun shoot to be a part of! xoxo, Ara
Here we are again -- that beautiful, fleeting time when we emerge from the grayness of winter, and are greeted with with lovely pink sakura (Japanese flowering cherry trees). Spring is here!
Cherry blossoms in Washington, DC
Cherry blossoms have been showing up in wedding decor for years, for obvious reasons. Here are a few of my favorite applications of the cherry blossom theme:
Love the look of cherry blossom branches, but can't afford the real thing? Check out Martha's tutorial on making your own here. *Note: No disrespect to Martha, but I find this project works better with crepe paper like this than with tissue paper.
Even if you're not looking to incorporate cherry blossoms into your wedding decor, be sure to check out the festivals happening right now at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and in Branch Brook Park in Newark, NJ.
Send-offs have come a long way from tin cans tied to the bumper of the FOB's car. They are all about drama, magic and joy. Below are some images and film clips that I find inspiring.
THINGS TO THROW
The tradition, of course, is to toos rice at the bride and groom as they leave the ceremony. The jury is still out on whether or not this practice is really harmful to birds (Snopes says no, others say yes), but luckily there are loads of other options, like confetti, streamers, and flower petals. My current favorite is pom poms.
A lighted path for the bride and groom is a wonderful thing. You can use luminarias, lanterns, twinkle lights or sparklers. Sparklers are a classic and beautiful (though a little dangerous!) way to make your send off memorable. Plus, they allow for some supercute photos, like below.
You can find inspiration for your send-off in lots of places. Movies are always a great source -- if anyone knows theatrics, it's a filmmaker. Below are some of my favorite send-offs from films.
From the romantic comedy to end all romantic comedies, Love Actually. Skip to 3:14 to see the send-off, which is sweet and simple, with the bride and groom escaping on a boat decorated with ballons.
This scene, from Monsoon Wedding, is actually the arrival of the bride and groom, but there are lots of beautiful details. I love the gorgeous rainbow of umbrellas! The marigolds that are tossed are wonderful too.
Maybe it's just the literature nerd in me, but I love everything about this wedding, from Sense and Sensibility. The ribbon wands, the confetti, the parade, the violinist...perfect.
I hope these images and videos have inspired you! xo emily
This past weekend we had the pleasure of transforming the entryway for the Brooklyn Based Wedding Crashers fair. The fair was a blast. FULL of fantastic vendors, and a truly fun day. See the transformation here!
BEFORE. Photo by my lovely intern Lindsay Rodabaugh.
AFTER. Photo by Lindsay Rodabaugh
So just three hours, over 100 paper garlands, and death-defying-acts-on-a-ladder later, we had created this vibrant and cheery entryway. We were tasked to make an impact with the entryway design. And so we did. Here are pictures of the process as well as some beautiful detail shots. The entryway design was made immensely better by flowers from Blossom and Branch.
I know that people say not to judge a book by its cover, but I totally form opinions of people based on their websites, and so I know that Angelica Glass is a total rockstar. This is her landing page:
And just wait until you check out her blog! So not only does she have a cool website, but she is also an awesome photographer with a spunky style. She was kind enough to let me post one of her fabulous weddings for you with a model worthy couple and some sure to make you jealous pictures. Here are some of my faves from Rachel and Brad's wedding.
WOW. I know. And here is where it all happened.
Aren't these cupcakes adorable?
So completely gorgeous! To see more about Angelica and her work, click here.
While perusing the New York Times recently I stumbled upon a story about one of my favorite sites, Groupon, becoming the platform for a marriage proposal! I knew what that meant, times for another installment of Weddings in the News!
Other stories this week include the untraditional medium of Save the Date for the royal couple, an editorial about an author's experience becoming ordained online, a Real Housewives star's unusual choice in bridal gown and the trend towards smaller guest lists.
Hi! We've missed you. Last week was a busy week putting together the booth for the fabulous Mel Barlow & Company at the Wedding Party this past Saturday.
The overall look was bohemian with found objects {literally "found" at Mel's apartment}. We got ambitious and decided to create a custom faux chalkboard with chalk outline frames for Mel's photography.
Here's a secret: that is not a chalkboard and it's not even chalkboard paint. It's black foam board. That's it. You're welcome. I was really feeling plants instead of cut flowers to accent and complete this boho look, and you can see some details in the image below.
To see more of Mel's work, go here. A big thank you to all at Mel Barlow & Company, but especially to Mel for collaborating with me and to Donnie for all of his help putting this together! The Wedding Party was a great success, and it was great to see many wedding friends out that day.
Wine bottle table numbers, patterned table runner, and a few Chrysanthemums in porcelain vases, create a very simple and chic table. Image via Martha Stewart.
The Elephant Ears branches make an elegant, modern, clean statement against the crisp black and white palette. Image via In Style Weddings, Summer 2004
The magnolia leaves running down the center are such a great simple way to fill in the table. Image via Brooklyn Bride, photography by Scott Clark.
Oh my prettiness. The fabulous ladies of Style Me Pretty have created the Cliff's Notes of beautiful weddings for all of your busy brides:
Holy cow, treat yourself to the beauty inside and enjoy the eye candy that Style Me Pretty has curated from all of the weddings submitted to them in 2010. The new e-glossy is in a magazine style format, which honestly even though blogs are fabulous, is really just so much more delicious than a blog format. And here is why it is so good and so different than just poring through Style Me Pretty: they only included 20 weddings out of the 1000 that were featured last year creating what is seriously the Bible of pretty weddings. And each one absolutely shines and inspires.
On this chilly Friday afternoon, let's enjoy some of the colors of the season: all shades of winter-white! Sticking with a neutral color palette is far from boring when you mix it up with the textures and add a little sparkle. And, when in doubt, go with my personal motto: you can't have too much glitter. Enjoy! xoxo Molly
Last week, we looked at shawl baskets as a cute reception detail. This week, we take a peek at some super cute card boxes, another opportunity to do something fun and creative!
With the winter season having officially arrived, ways to keep warm are always on the brain. One cute and easy touch to add to your reception is a basket of pashminas or shawls for your guests. And of course its also yet another opportunity for a personal touch!
I'm so excited to share with you a wedding of one of our own, intern Molly! Molly got married to her fiance Kenrick this September in a farmhouse in Pennsylvania. She's here with more of the details and all the delicious photos. You can see more from the original Wedding Chicks post here. Enjoy and Congratulations, Molly!
From Molly, I wanted our wedding to feel “sweet bohemian with a touch of glamour” and I couldn’t have had more fun designing it!
One of the most fun elements to create were the escort cards and their display. I took two old bulletin boards and spray-painted them gold then pinned our heart escort cards backed in colorful patterns to them. A lot of guests tucked the colorful cards into their suit pockets like pocket squares.
I chose two of my favorite vintage sheets from my collection to create the two photobooths and left by them a big, red heart I made out of tissue paper for our engagement photos six months ago and a big vintage frame I found discarded by the roadside as props.
From photo booths to candy buffets, it seems everyone is looking for that special touch that will put their reception over the top. One unique idea is to have a cigar bar. Many companies provide this service, bringing in the cigars and often a cigar roller as well, or you can DIY by simply putting out cigars, cutters and matches. This is a great opportunity to create a super cute vignette with signs, old fashioned cigar boxes and custom matchbooks. You could even create custom labels for the cigars themselves with your wedding date on them!
Baumbirdy has been getting a lot of nice street cred lately and deservingly so. With features in Martha Stewart Weddings and countless adorable real weddings on some of today's most popular blogs, Baumbirdy has proven their staying power in the world of invitations and paper design.
Their unique approach and materials (wood invites! clutch-style designs!) make them an excellent choice for those indie brides out there and anybody looking for something unique and playful. And those typography cake toppers-- what an adorable alternative to the traditional bride and groom! Thesearesomeofmyfaves. xoxo Molly
Today's Real Wedding comes from one of Brooklyn's finest, photographer Katie Osgood. This adorable couple, Marie and Nahn, got married in Central Park this summer and their photos perfectly capture what it feels like to be walking around the Park on a gorgeous, sunny day. The chic bride is here with more sweet details about their big day. Nhan and I met on a blind date! Doesn't that sound so '50's? My girlfriend and his friend were both interested in each other. Both of our friends wanted to bring a friend so we could double date. Nhan and I hit it off at a diner over Earl Grey tea and talked about books, movies, and music. We didn't stop talking for hours while our friends were starting to fall asleep. We have been together since May '01!
I choose my dress at the last minute! I was going to wear a Tom Ford for Gucci Crystal Swarovski crystal dress but it seemed too flashy for a daytime garden wedding. I know lace is always a classic and tasteful choice for an outdoor wedding. I wanted my dress to be light, airy, and not too formal. I wanted a vintage, yet timeless look. The idea behind the shoot stems from my love of fashion and my PR fashion experience. I basically wanted to do a fashion shoot, everything planned out from inspiration photos. I know getting a great picture is usually not from a snapshot. I wanted a photograph that tells a story. My Sex and the City reference photos were intense, dramatic, and romantic. I really wanted to draw that vibe with our pictures. Nhan and I did 2 run-thrus in the park before the wedding. We really wanted to plan the route and specific portraits. I prioritized which picture was most important.
The flowers were designed by me. I love the look of mint green flowers and wanted a pop of saturated color. I used just a few orchids since they are expensive
From the photographer, Katie. I love getting to know my clients before I shoot them by meeting a couple times and/ or doing an e-shoot first. I usually end of doing more than just shooting. For example, pinning boutonnieres, fixing hair, tying most bows, etc. I always keep safety pins and bobby pins in my camera bag ;) I end up coordinating times with the drivers and maintaining the schedule too. By the end of most weddings I feel like I've been a part of the family for a day. I like my clients to trust me and lucky for me my clients do! For this particular wedding, I was even the witness!
Thanks Katie! Be sure to check her out for your big day! And a big congratulations to Nhan + Marie on their gorgeous wedding day.
Whether you're a long veil girl, a big artsy flower girl, a bird cage girl or an adorable hat girl, Austie is the perfect place to pick your poison. Every piece is handmade by Portland-based designer, Austie Eckley. The designs are ethereal and lovely, the styling spot on, and the prices affordable.
Austie is a great place to stop by if you're looking for something unique and sweet for your big day (or if you just want to look at some really pretty pictures!) xoxo Molly
Welcome back to the “Other Parties” series going on this week on Scissors brought to you by our lovely intern Alex. Every bride knows that outside the main event are a seemingly endless list of parties that either build up to or wind down from the wedding itself. So far we've looked at the engagement party and the wedding shower, and today we're looking at the more elusive bridesmaid's luncheon.
While everyone knows what a Rehearsal Dinner and a Wedding Shower are, a Bridesmaid’s Luncheon is not always given for modern weddings. Those who do chose to carry on this tradition will be rewarded with a warm and personal event perfect for kicking off a wedding weekend.
While totally optional, more and more brides are bringing back the luncheon, most commonly hosted by the bride in honor of her bridesmaids and close female relatives as a thank you for all they have done for the big day. It can be hosted anytime, though it is usually held the day before the wedding, when everyone is in town and the key players have likely taken off work for the rehearsal dinner. It’s the perfect excuse to meet up and spend quality time with the important players before the madness of the rehearsal and wedding begin. This is also a great time to give your bridesmaid’s gifts, if you feel they are too personal to present at a large rehearsal dinner.
At Rock Paper Scissors we picture an unabashedly feminine affair where the bride and her girls gather after a morning of blissful pre-wedding manicures and pedicures. Using simple gerber daisies as inspiration, we found great paper products to get your girls excited about the party before it begins. Then, keep the day affordable using bud vases with single stems for centerpieces and cupcakes to feed your sweet tooth.
Rock Paper Scissors Twist: For such a small and intimate event, forgo traditional place cards and instead create a photo place card. Find small 2 x 3” frames and instead of writing the name of the person, find a photo of the bride and the guest together. Print in black and white and voila! Place card, personal touch and party favor all in one.
When you're planning a winter wedding, the options can seem much more limited as far as your color palette and your themes. However, winter weddings allow the creative bride a whole new stage on which to display some really gorgeous ideas! And don't feel like you have to have the winter blues to make your event seem seasonally-appropriate... instead, take inspiration from our rosy winter cheeks, and go pink! The combination of pinky tones, mauves and warm golds really keeps this palette from getting too light and pretty and instead keeps your wedding warm, cozy and completely unique. Add lots of candles, some gorgeous winter flowers (think cockscomb, sweetpeas, and roses) and you have yourself a pinky-peachy-keen winter wedding affair! xoxo Molly
So excited to finally share all of the gorgeous details from Cameron and Marcella's book and travel themed wedding. We've been waiting for the cute ladies over at Wedding Chicks to feature it, which you can check out here, and now we can share all the fun here as well! The fantastic pair married at the truly breathtaking Palm House at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Since the bride is a teacher and the groom loves to read, we started with a book theme, and then quickly added in a travel element since the couple are big travelers as well. Each table had a stack of vintage books that the couple collected over a few months that served as a favor for each guest. The books also served as great (and inexpensive) visual interest that created layers and textures and different heights for the candles and gorgeous flowers by Amy at Seaport Flowers. Each table was named after a destination that the couple had traveled to together, and the groom happens to be an amazing photographer and he created beautiful postcards for each place setting. And the photography by Ohana Photographers really hit this one out of the park.
For the escort cards, those are standard air mail envelopes run through a printer. Cute, fabulous and budget friendly!
A detail of the beautiful postcards made by the groom.
And it gets even better. The couple printed a note on the back of each city giving travel tips and favorite memories from each city visited.
Wow, holy bridal shower! I came across this amazingly cute bridal shower on Wedding Chics, and it has so many sweet vintage touches from the clothespin letters and notes to the thread and button decorated mason jars. Props and styling were done by Jeni from found {vintage rentals} , who specializes in vintage prop rentals so the gorgeous outcome is really no surprise. To see the full event photos, click back to Wedding Chics here.
Clothespin letters, vintage book chandelier - oh my!
LOVE the thread with the buttons. So doable, so cute.
Clothespin vintage shutters? Yes please.
All of the lovely photography was done by Kaysha Weiner.
The second photo shoot that I worked on with Quatre Couer, Allan Zepeda, and Paper Eight was featured on Merci yesterday! So excited to finally get to share some pictures with you all. The concept was essentially showing how to create interest by layering different styles, in this case antique with modern. Instead of going super modern in your loft space venue, add some interest by bringing in some antique pieces or even small accents like antique inspired place cards. Same goes for the old farmhouse venue. How cool would it be with some ghost chairs and graphic candelabra? Try mixing it up a little, and I am sure you'll have some fun. Have a great Memorial Day Weekend! To see the full post on Merci, click here.
Wedding Chicks featured a really creative engagement shoot by Wildflowers Photography based on the Disney movie "UP" that I love and think is so clever. It has really thoughtful details and certainly takes the balloon craze in engagement shoots to a whole new and more interesting level! Check out a peak below, and see the full post here.
With the departure of many wedding and design magazines comes inspiration in new online formats. Blogs of course have become pretty mainstream, but now we seem to be in the dawn of online magazines. A beautiful wedding magazine to emerge among the shuttering of the glossies is Nonpareil. They have a lovely, easy to follow layout and clever ideas, along with downloads and tutorials. I would definitely recommend you check it out here. And if you miss Domino magazine as much as I do, check out Lonny, an online magazine founded by a couple of Domino former editors.
Have you guys all checked out the Postcards and Pretties blog? I just came across it, and when I did I was so sincerely impressed that I had to mention it to you all to check out. It is seriously good. BEAUTIFUL inspiration boards. Now a lot of people are doing these, but Postcards and Pretties just does them so, so well. Like a noticeable step above kind of doing them well. Check out this Sail Away theme board she made. What could be better?
So here in NYC, Spring has been teasing us with some warmer weather. Now I'm from the West Coast, so I'm a little hard to please when it comes to weather, and I know that Spring is sneaky and will just as likely go back into hiding as stick around. Which is why I am posting this absolutely lovely inspiration board from Snippet & Ink that just radiates Spring, lightness and pretty-ness to help keep the Spring vibe around regardless of Mother Nature.
Welcome! I'm Ara from Rock Paper Scissors Events. We are re-styling the events industry by creating a way to make great design advice more accessible. This blog is a collection of the best ideas we create and come across. We're so glad you stopped by! You can visit us at www.rpscissors.com.
