Thursday, February 21, 2008

One Stop Shop: Anthropologie Casual

I LOVE the bright hues all over Anthropologie and think that it would be a great source of inspiration for a casual daytime wedding... subdued hues can get washed out by the sunshine of a brunch or mid-day celebration... but these bold gem tones can hold their own against the bright rays.

Now these are dresses that you really CAN wear again! The level of saturation, length, and overall formality are enough to uniform the bridal party without being too matchy-matchy.... and I am LOVING these necklaces, available in a myriad of hues.

Greet guests with a vintage door that has Anthropologie's signature knobs screwed in all over it- each with a small notecard hanging to escort guests to their tables.... (How lovely will these knobs look all around your home after the wedding is over?!)

The idea of infusing your style is not to over-design the space. You probably have already fallen in love with your location for its natural beauty. It's simply a way to bring small touches of personalization to the area... and it is always nice to keep the event cohesive by having a definative thread/message/tone. You can create make-shift seating areas by simply exchanging a few of the rental cushions on chivaris for these.... toss a few pillows onto any rented or pre-existing lounge furniture or benches... hang a few brightly colored chandeliers from the trees or indoor rafters.... Take photos from your engagement session and have them enlarged and then matted atop GORGEOUS sheets of wallpaper, placed in an ornate frame.


You don't need to go overboard on the tables with mounds of flowers to bring in color. I love the idea of crisp white linens and a runner made of varying heights of candleabras, votives, and candle sticks. Frame the table number in a pretty frame and hang a few lamp-shades overhead (with lantern light kits) for simple but oh-so-chic style!

Even if you are opting for a buffet or plated dinner.... I always suggest a station or two later in the night. Sometimes guests just need a break from dancing and thus it is nice to have some sort of interactive entertainment for them. If your guests are not much for coffee... try an exotic tea station... if your event is going into the wee hours, opt for a breakfast food station.... And here is where you can actually splurge a little and get those oh-so-amazing bowls or tea sets that go PERFECT with the event. Typically, only about half of the guests will utilize the station- and when it is all over, a set of these make PERFECT bridal party gifts!

The idea is that you can start with what you already know about your design aesthetic... and go from there- what I love most about a wedding being reflective of your design is that when it is all over- you don't have yards of tulle or hundreds of tiny boxes in the shape of wedding cakes- you have pieces that can easily be reworked and recycled into your home and lifestyle...

5 comments:

rebekah said...

Love the bright colors! Just what we need after winter.

Anonymous said...

As far as the knobs go, check out the new hardware store!

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/category.jsp?popId=POV_HOME&navAction=poppush&navCount=1&pushId=POVH_0219HARDWARESTORE&id=POVH_0219HARDWARESTORE&cm_re=Feb_08-_-021908_home_hardware-_-img_hardware

Oh Happy Blog! said...

LB- thanks for that link... I must confess that though I've already adorned every surface in my home with these lovelies... I still make a mad dash for the hardware everytime!

Anonymous said...

Here are the perfect clutches to go with this look. Great bridesmaid gifts! They come in 8 colors.

http://moxiebee.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_9&products_id=30

Anonymous said...

The bright colors are so refreshing! I think I need to wear some bright spring stuff to brighten my mood