Arrangements by the Sea, part deux

My sister Alison and her husband Jeff's wedding celebration went off without a hitch this past weekend, considering it was the day before Hurricane Irene. I wanted to share some photos of my final designs for their seaside wedding celebration. My arrangements looked soft and elegant in the dark glow of the candlelit tent. I was pleased with the outcome while staying on budget, using materials from my own garden. And, from a few friends gardens, as well...

The calm before the storm...

Guests, had not yet arrived, but Hurricane Irene was bearing down with heavy rains and dark skies. Guests were treated to a traditional, New England Clam Bake which was cooked to perfection by, The Ipswich Clambake Company. Korean fare was also part of the evening spread and it was absolutely delicious.




My sister Sarah was responsible for the beautiful cheese spread that you see pictured above. It was quite elaborate!!! Her display, not only added visual interest to the event but the unique pairing of cheeses and spreads.

A great time was had by all, thanks to my sister Alison and my brother- in- law Jeff. I was honored to be part of their special day.




Until next time...L



                                                                     

Arrangements by the Sea

I was recently asked to design table arrangements for my sister Alison and her husband Jeff's wedding celebration. I was excited that I would be able to give my creative input to the ambience of the event. In adhering to a more modest budget, the challenge will be to keep the cost of materials down without compromising the original design. To do this, I will start by using the materials right outside my door.

The best place to begin in designing this kind of arrangement is in choosing the appropriate container. Like they say in real estate: location, location, location! The fit has to be right. I happened to have some fun galvanized buckets that I had used for my son's high school graduation party. They will be an ideal choice, as I believe they will be suited to the outside, tented event by the sea. Additionally, I feel good about any opportunity to repurposing or recycle previous materials for new designs.

This past Saturday, two weeks before the event, I decided to test my ideas. I went to Jacobson in Boston and Bay State Wholesale, in Wilmington to see if I was happy with my container choice and to see what options were available for plant materials. I purchased a large box of Oasis that will last me a long time. [fillers used, hydrangea, hosta, grasses, sand dollar, raffia, fern, purple cone flower, etc.)]…I will need to find a filler that will better hide the mechanics of the arrangement as the fern from my yard did not hold up well. One good reason for a dry run before any event.

Until next time...  L.