Monday, September 30, 2013

Table Settings

One important aspect of a reception, or other event that includes meal service, is the presentation of each place setting.  The place settings can set the tone for the event & their design & color also act as a part of the decor.  Below is an image I found on Pinterest that shows informal vs. formal place settings.  I personally prefer something in between.  I like the look of a lot of glassware on the table because the glass in reflective & I just love clean clear glass :)



A great way to spruce up a place setting is the addition of a charger plate...

You may see these at Michael's or other craft stores for around $1 each (prices vary depending on design & quality).  The charger plate has a long history & has been used as an under-plate for food bearing bowls & plates to keep spillage from getting on the linens.  A charger plate IS NOT TO EAT OFF!  I absolutely cringe when I see people make this mistake.  Charger plates are not a money-saving alternative to plates & they are not manufactured to be eaten off of & can contain very harmful substances that may be absorbed into your food.  That being said, charger plates ARE a great way to incorporate color into your place setting & to really amplify the wow factor of your tablescape....especially if your serving pieces are muted or kind of boring.  Event rental companies should offer chargers for rent, but if they don't have the color you want you can always order your own (you can also check on www.weddingbee.com in the classifieds section to see if anyone is selling any or sell the ones you buy on there afterwards).  There are literally hundreds of different places to buy or order chargers.



Like I said before, I prefer to go with a place setting somewhere between formal & informal...as long as it looks fabulous I'm happy!

For more helpful information check out my "Helpful Wedding Information" board on Pinterest...even if you're not into following guidelines, it's good to review & pull from it what you want. I'm also working on a charger board now that I'm all excited about chargers!  http://www.pinterest.com/reveriepdx/boards/

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Acosta Wedding @ The World Trade Center in Portland


I had so much fun assisting in the planning of this wedding & it was such an honor for me to do it!  The bride & groom actually live in California & wanted to get married in Portland because it was more convenient for their family here...& they love Portland, which I can totally relate to :)  The planning started when the bride asked me to check out the World Trade Center for her.  This is such a great venue!  The thing I love the most is the upstairs reception area whose walls are floor to ceiling windows.  There are support beams that run diagonally throughout the space & they are wrapped in white stringed lights that look so beautiful when it gets dark.  

The bride & groom flew up to look at venues at ultimately decided on the World Trade Center.  Now for the details!  The bride wanted her colors to be aqua (aka Tiffany blue aka Pool aka...a bunch of other names for this precise shade of blue) & red.  The inspiration for this came from some aqua colored fabric with cherries printed on it.  Through the process of choosing items & vendors there was a transformation from a fun & funky style to a more classic traditional style with these great pops of color!  We went from decor ideas using paper lanterns to the tinted mason jars with roses...it really came together so beautifully I just couldn't help but stare once it was all set up.

I custom designed & assembled the menus & favor boxes, so my home looked like a little factory for a while!  The menu included popular cuisine from 4 places in the world that had meaning for the bride & groom & the favor boxes held signature Godiva chocolates.  This was such a beautiful & fun wedding to be a part of & nothing is better than being witness to the love & commitment of 2 great people!
The "Sweetheart Table"
I've posted more pictures from this wedding below...some were snapshots with my phone & aren't as great looking as the others, but you get the idea :)

Guest Table 


Ceremony Aisle in The World Trade Center Courtyard

Roses for the families to combine symbolizing their union

I love this one!  Mason jar with roses & bride & groom in the background

Custom sign I made & guest book I also customized to match the colors

Custom Favor Boxes & Menu




Main floral arrangement by "A Floral Affair"