Monthly Archives: February 2009

Reader question: What materials to drape with?

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So it seems there has been a lot of reader traffic on this blog while I’ve been busy! In the past week that I’ve been busy with other commitments related to work and a non-profit organization I’m involved with, I got my first reader question. How exciting!

Here is Becky’s question:

WOW! Your designs are wonderful! I was hoping you could give me a suggestion of a website, book, or whatever to learn to drape for decorating. My son is getting married in June on the historic Halley’s Bluff over looking the Osage River. (Missouri). His bride to be’s family owns the property. (Actually has a little cave under the bluff where Jesse James had a hide out!). I purchased a beautiful wrought iron gazebo from Sam’s club for the event. (I will have item in my yard after the wedding.). What kind of fabric do you suggest for draping? I have heard tulle, but than also read tulle “was tacky”. Voile is another fabric I have heard, but very expensive. Does tulle work for you? Any suggestions? I will definitely mark your site as a favorite! By the way, inour area we do not have anybody who does this for hire. Thanks. Becky

This is a good question. There are a lot of fabrics out there, but they all drape, or lie, differently on different surfaces. There are some better for laying against a table, others that look better hanging freely, others that…well, you get the picture. Let me give you a few examples.

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Miss me?

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If you’ve noticed a break in my usual posting schedule (I usually aim for two posts a week, but I’ve been struggling lately with keeping up with that schedule because of a bunch of other things I’m involved with), its because I have a workshop coming up that I’m preparing to teach. So, don’t worry — this blog isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

In addition, someone actually asked for my opinion on something in the comments recently, so I’m excited to answer that soon.

In the meantime, check out this recent article from one of my favorite personal finance sites, Bankrate — Last minute weddings for less. Good advice in there, some of which I can personally attest to. :)

Wedding Week at WashingtonPost.com

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Is the week after Valentine’s Day the perfect week to declare Wedding Week? I daresay, yes, it is!

Not surprisingly, they’re focusing pretty tightly on budgets, but weddings are so easy to do a whole bunch of stories on — just from this screenshot, there’s bridal gowns, flowers, wedding etiquette, and oh, yeah, marital bliss.

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Different flavors of sweetheart tables

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Its no secret that I like the sweetheart table versus the head table with all the bridal attendants or sponsors. I think it highlights the couple-of-honor, and for a decorator, it allows us to create a nice focal point in the room.

Photo by Flickr’s mdunn

But there are some instances in which it won’t be effective. Above, you’ve got a lovely little sweetheart table, but its sort of swallowed by that fabulous view. In a case like this, a slightly larger table probably would have filled out the space more.

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Cocktails and wedding vendors

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I’ve been getting some requests for referrals lately, mostly for a florist who was as good as my mom and charged like she did. While I don’t know if there’s anyone like that anywhere — of course not! — I do know how frustrating it must be to find good, trustworthy wedding vendors.

Photo by Flickr’s Paulo Rodrigues UK

Now, I don’t know about other parts of the country — sorry! — but I did get wind of an event called Wedding Happy Hour here in L.A. Basically, you get to have cocktails with folks who are vying for your business. How cool is that?

Now, don’t think I’m getting paid for this mention. I’m not. Actually, a trustworthy blog buddy sent this event to me, and I thought — hey! Why not. Besides, where else can you go to find wedding vendors for free? Bridal shows can get costly — for both the bride and the wedding vendor — and it being a happy hour event makes it a more relaxed atmosphere where you can actually get to know the vendors and get comfortable with them. Bridal shows are more often than not sensory overload. Trust me. I know.

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Small, yellow and green flower arrangements

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Anywhere I am, if an arrangement of flowers catches my eye, I will take a picture — if I can. And since I choose purses with the size of my digital camera in mind, I often do take pictures. It kind of drives my husband a little crazy.

I found this little bitty flower arrangement and a partner — more about the partner later — at work, of all places, in the bathroom. Now, trust me, my work is not a fancy schmancy type of places that has fresh orchids and roses in the bathroom all the time. But I think there were a bunch of corporate executives at my station for some sort of meetings, hence the pretty-fication of our most heavily-trafficked bathroom.

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Ocean-view wedding venues

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My browser’s homepage is Yahoo, so as I perused the morning’s headlines, I noticed something interesting. One of Yahoo’s top searches this morning was Beach Weddings. Beach Weddings! They’re great in theory, in my opinion.

But if you ask me, the whole point of a beach wedding — being near the serenity and beauty of the ocean — would be better accomplished with an ocean-view venue. (The idea of sand and bridal gowns, oh, and wedding cake? Lord. Not a good mix in my opinion.) The above photo, by the way, was taken many years ago — maybe 10! — at La Venta Inn in Palos Verdes Estates. I have some more recent photos of the venue here.

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