Thanks to Darleene for inviting us to fill in with a guest blog. As photographers in Orange County we are blessed to work with some really resourceful people like Darleene who make our job much more fun. Today we’d like to share some details about an autumn wedding that featured inspiring home-made designs –everything from the guest invitations to the final banner which the couple ran through football-style as they headed off to their new life together.
Tall flower arrangements for guest tables are decadent, almost a luxury for most weddings. Remember, these are usually given away to a guest at each table, so if you’re giving away the entire arrangement, vase and all, that very well can be a $55 to $75 arrangement you’re giving away.
Flickr photo by Jo Waddell
But if you’ve got the budget, how can you resist? Check out these rose arrangements on top of a trumpet vase. Talk about classy! The vases are filled with water and a sprig of ivy, and the rose arrangements have some bear grass in and out of the roses. The simplest arrangements are always so gorgeous.
I’m constantly on the lookout for flower arrangements wherever I am (my purses must now always have room for my camera), so its a habit that I think my friends have adopted. But I don’t think its that unusual — when I was working, complete strangers constantly took pictures of my work. This friend, who asked not to be named, didn’t take these pictures recently, but at a bridal shower at the Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach in 2006.
I’m not a fan of wedding magazines, since what you see in them seem so far from what real people do, and bridal shows are sort of a step down from wedding magazines. Bridal shows, after all, are where vendors put out their best to attract the most. But I like this arrangement — its pretty, and not too fancy, but still classy. The extra vases of green mums and green cymbidiums add an extra touch to what is essentially a relatively plain arrangement of white roses and white mums. By the way, does that card say “Flowers by LAPD”? Heheh.
Ah, did I catch your attention with the mention of pool flowers? Yeah, you don’t see it that often, but when you do — wow! These pictures are from a friend who did not want to be identified, but she so happened to be at two weddings a few weekends ago and saw the flowers and just knew I would want pictures. The pictures were taken from her cell phone, but you can click on each photo for a bigger version.
The first wedding, by the way, was at Dove Canyon Country Club, a venue I have never had the pleasure of decorating. The area code on the website tells me its in south Orange County, and my friend says Rancho Santa Margarita. The second wedding was in Palos Verdes at a private home.
When we think of decorating a wedding, brides (I think) mostly think about their head table or sweetheart table, the church, the altar…every place except where guests spend the most time — at their table. So if you want to make the guest tables awesome, too, check these pictures out.
Above, we’re flashing back to an oldie but goody at the former Holiday Inn in Monrovia — its now a Doubletree, I believe. How do you make a guest table special, aside from the flowers? Why, with cool table cloths. The table above is decorated with a simple champagne organza overlay. As always, this post was inspired by many awesome pictures of tables I found on Flickr.
Glass Slipper Gourmet had quite a few awesome pictures of guest tables. Not only does this table have a gargantuan arrangement of orchids (they’re even spilling off the vase! How arty!), the table is covered with a bronze, textured tablecloth that really sets off the gold in the plates and in the napkins. Oh, and there are more of those orchids, right there. Only thing is — the utensils kind of disappear. Ah well, who needs utensils, right?
This is another table set up from Glass Slipper Gourmet, which is labeled “Sexy!” — and it is! When you’re decorating a house, most decorators would advise against this kind of pattern, but on a guest table, up against black and white plate ware, plum napkins and those magenta and white flowers…wow! It’s all oh so sensual.
This table by Flor & Forma is more traditional and simple, but still beautiful and striking. Probably what is most striking is the yellow and white rose arrangement atop a trumpet vase filled with water, with a sprig of yellow orchids inside. But the details! Those look like yellow baby roses tucked into the napkins all sitting on top of a white, embroidered table cloth.
Last but definitely not least is a wedding reception at what is apparently Caltech, here in the Los Angeles area. I already assume that most university campuses are beautiful, but wow! What a great place to have a reception. Anyway, the arrangement is cute, low and colorful (so it packs a big visual impact, but doesn’t keep your guests from seeing each other at the table), and the embroidered, brown table cloth is beautiful.
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