Inspiration Board #6: Pinecones and Chocolate

{Click to enlarge!}

For the next four Mondays before Christmas, I've decided to post holiday-themed boards (though some more explicitly themed than others). This one is for a sophisticated and chic soiree - the brown and white palette is perfect for a chilly night in December, while the cupcakes, truffle cake, and pine cone accents add just the right touch of whimsy. For a sweet finale at the end of the night, try a hot cocoa bar in place of the more standard candy or cookie display!

The Details
First row, left to right:
Lace patterns kick up the style a notch (Rebecca Thuss); delicate cupcakes look decadent topped with mocha frosting and coconut shavings (via Black*Eiffel); display sepia-toned photos of family and friends at the cocktail hour or reception to lend a vintage vibe (photo by Elizabeth Messina on Oh How Charming!);

Second row, left to right:
A chocolate truffle cake mimics the shape of a pine cone (April Reed); winter light makes the brown tones in this elegant room glow (via Martha Stewart Weddings); guests will take immediate notice of a thick brown envelope in the mail (Tara Jones); a dress with lace detailing is an updated classic (via Style Me Pretty)

Third row, left to right:
A silvery-brown suit can look as elegant as black (via Style Me Pretty); use pine cones to prop up place cards at the reception entry (The Knot); pine cones form an inexpensive monogram in a window (Martha Stewart Weddings)

And check out this pinecone bouquet!

Does this board convince you? Or do you still think brown is too drab?

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you're celebrating with family, friends, and delicious food... if not a fondant turkey.


{Yes, that's a cake. Source here}

My new favorite...

...bag. This one's the Saltbox Geo Travel Bag and is available at Pop Deluxe. It comes in five other delicious colors and retails for $150.

{Seen first on The Bride's Guide}

A Little Southern Wedding Love

WOW! Imagine my surprise when I signed into my Google Reader this morning to see this post on the Southern Weddings BlogSite. Excuse me, what?? Would that be THIS little old blog you're writing about, Ms. Lara Casey?!

Turns out it was! Here's the story: a few weeks ago I wrote this post about my favorite notebooks by Carrot & Stick Press. Lara of SW left me a lovely comment saying she also loved them, and because I was feeling the blog love, I decided to send her one in the mail along with a note letting her know how much I admire her blog and passion and vision et al (and I do, oh, I do). And then today, her wonderful post. (In which, I might add, she calls this baby a "beautiful blog." That's right!) Just goes to show you how much a little common courtesy and southern charm can brighten someone's day, though I think it went both ways in this case!

So head on over to the SW site - IT'S AMAZING! They've got new real weddings every day, ridiculously fun giveaways, a great vendor resource list, and a charming new site design.



And lastly, make sure you enter to win one of the notebooks that started this whole blog love fest in the first place! Lara will pick the winner on Thanksgiving.

Inspiration Board #5: Blue and Orange Thanksgiving

{click to enlarge!}

Blue and orange, you say? Sounds strange, I know, but I think it works here. When you choose dusty, faded tones and mix them with gold, white, and natural tan, they somehow combine for a fresh take on a fall palate.

Also, doesn't a Thanksgiving wedding just make sense? It seems like the perfect combination of occasions, as weddings are already about celebrating and being thankful for family, friends, food, and (of course) love!

Some of my favorite details:

First row, left to right:
Pumpkins adorned with bittersweet garlands make lovely centerpieces (via All Things Lovely); pick a dahlia bouquet in rich autumn hues for the bride (also via All Things Lovely); dress up the front door of the church or reception location with a bittersweet wreath (available for purchase from Marston House)

Second row, left to right:
Send out a faux bois invitation suite like this one from Martha Stewart Weddings; order natural dresses for your maids (photographed by Melissa Schollaert and seen on Snippet & Ink); include glazed carrots as a side for the turkey - their color works perfectly with our palette! (Victoria Pearson)

Third row, left to right:
Try pumpkin pie (Jupiter Images) instead of wedding cake; hang simple wooden initials from orange satin ribbon to signal the celebration location (Martha Stewart Weddings); dress the dudes in khaki suits and a crisp orange shirt and tie combo (Martha Stewart Weddings); a wide porch bedecked with pumpkins makes the perfect "altar" for a casually elegant at-home ceremony (via Classic Bride)

What do you think? Could this work? Or would your guests resent you for disrupting their usual Thanksgiving plans?

Have a sweet Friday!

Today's post on Style Me Pretty reminded me of how much I love Amy Atlas's dessert tables. Though they made the rounds of wedding blogs a few months ago, I thought I'd dig out some of my favorites to share, on the off-chance one of you missed them!





I think her example proves that a cohesive candy bar/buffet/table is about two things: color coordination and beautiful styling. Glassine bags, white cake stands, and customized wrappers can make even dollar store candy look wedding worthy.





Really, though - you've got to see the detail shots on her site. They are stunningly drool-inducing.

S'mores Y'all

Saw this on Once Wed yesterday and thought it was the perfect way to end a reception on a sweet note. The bride, who handmade all of the wedding graphics, has recently started her own design company, Miss Pickles Press. Just like these s'more packets, her stationery suites are bold, whimsical, and impossibly cute.

P.S. I also loved her centerpieces.