::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Red, to me, is just one of those colors that works year-round.  Of course it’s perfect in Winter, for Christmas and Valentine’s Day weddings, but it’s also perfect paired with brown for the fall, paired with other bright colors for the summer or red tulips for the spring!  Here are some great red bouquets that are suitable for all seasons!

Amity Mason Photography:

Amy Squires Photography:

April Joy Events:

Here are some reds that would work well for fall…

Halo Photographic:

Better Homes and Gardens:

Brides Magazine:

Winter…

Love Life Images:

Better Homes and Gardens:

Spring…

Better Homes and Gardens:

Emilie Photography:

And Summer…

Better Homes and Gardens:

In Style Weddings:

Kimberly Brooke Photography:

Cake and Pictures:

One of the things I like about red is how it can be paired with different colors to give off a completely different feel for different settings, seasons, and feelings.  For example, red and purple seem regal together…

Jasmine Star Photography:

Red and Pink equal playful and fun (and are perfect for a Valentine’s Day wedding)

Both pictures from Better Homes and Gardens:

and Red and White are sweet and romantic…

Of course, no discussion of red bouquets can be had without discussing the ultimate in romantic red flowers, the rose.  Roses are traditional, but they’re also great because they come in so many different varieties, giving your floral designer a great deal of flexibility.

Are you having a red bouquet?  What kinds of flowers are you using?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

These days, brides aren’t just limited to white or red roses for their bouquets (okay, not that they ever were, but stick with me here…)  Not only can you get flowers from all over the world, but you don’t even have to use flowers for your bouquet at all if you don’t want to!  You can do whatever you want, whether it’s having each bridesmaid carry a bouquet that matches her personality or favorite color, or even not having them carry a bouquet at all.

At my sister’s wedding, rather than have her bridesmaids carry bouquets, we carried beautiful lanterns down the aisle — it was SO pretty!  Well, until one of them dripped wax on my dad’s tux.  But still…the point is, do whatever you want — have fun with it!  Here are a few of my favorite “unusual” bouquets.

Millie Holloman Photography:

David Stark Design:

In Style Weddings:

A New Leaf:

How cute are these bouquets?!  The bride’s is made of Christmas ornaments, and the bridesmaids are…felt?

O.M.G.  I LOVE these flowers! I want a candy striped wedding, now!

Feathers are very popular in bouquets right now — in fact, I just did a peacock themed wedding that I’ll be blogging as soon as I get the pictures!

Kate Triano:

The Knot:

Another popular trend in flowers is adding unusual items like succulents, fruits or vegetables.

LOVE this cabbage and peacock bouquet, photographed by Olivia Leigh:

How adorable would this strawberry bouquet be for a summer picnic wedding?

Like I mentioned before, a cute idea can be to have different bouquets for your bridesmaids — your girls aren’t all the same, why give them the same bouquet?!

In addition to their different bouquets, how totally rock star are these ladies?!

Are you having a traditional bouquet?  Or will you do something unusual?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Blue flowers can be very difficult to find sometimes.  One of my favorite naturally blue flowers is hydrangea.  Hydrangea is a nice accent to any bouquet, and can be found in a wide variety of colors — for blues, they can be deep, almost indigo, or they can be very pale!  They can wilt very quickly, though, so make sure you keep them in water as long as possible.

Love Life Images:

Blooms Design Studio, Duck, NC, featured on The Knot:

Bouquets of Austin:

e Leigh Photography:

Berghaus Flowers, Cleveland, OH:

Walter Knoll Florist:

Jana Curcio Photography:

Of course, hydrangea aren’t the only blue flowers…just the easiest to find.  I think the problem with a lot of blue flowers is that you don’t necessarily know the exact shade you’re going to get from the grower, so it can be a tricky proposition if you’re dying for a specific blue.  Sometimes what you had hoped would be blue turns out almost purple.

Martha Stewart Weddings:

Block Island Wedding Flowers:

Here are a few more pretty blue bouquets from Better Homes and Gardens:

A few other flowers that can be beautiful in blue are Irises:

Every Blooming Thing:

Tweedia:

The Aspen Branch:

Grape Hyacinths:

Sandra Meyer Floral Designer:

And, um…these other flowers!  Who knows what the heck these things are?

Moda Botanica Floral Design:

Devers Design Group:

Kim Fisher Designs (Based in my favorite town, Wilmington, NC!)

LOVE this bouquet:

Finally, if you just can’t seem to find blue flowers that you like, there are some really great non-floral options to get that color you need on Etsy!

Flowersinbeads:

Expressions Floral Shop:

Paper Platypus:

Princess Lasertron:

Really Bad Kitty:

Are you having a blue bouquet at your wedding?  Will you go with real flowers or something else?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Oh, Steel Magnolias…how I love thee.  What a great chick flick, full of powerful women…and pink!  And while you don’t want your church to look as if it’s been “hosed down in Pepto Bismol,” pink is indeed the signature color for many a wedding celebration.  The thing with pink is that it can be paired with almost any color.  Pink & Brown was the big trend a few years ago.  Pink & Red are hot around Valentine’s Day.  Hot pink & Black are a very modern look, and Pink & Green just scream preppy.  Below are some great pink bouquets to inspire you!

“My two colors are blush and bashful, two very different shades of pink — one is much deeper than the other“:

Photo: A Pair of Photographers

For some reason, pink just says “June Wedding” to me.  I have no idea why — maybe because peonies are perfect for June?  I love peonies…they smell and look amazing!

Photograph: Eleise Theuer:

Florist: Foxgloves & Ivy

Of course, other pink flowers are great too!  We have roses:

Florist: Whimsy Floral:

Tulips:

Florist: Flowers on Orchard Lane:

Lillies and Orchids:

Photo: Jennifer Angeloro:

SOTA Weddings:

Mary Tuttle’s Flowers:

Gerbera Daisies:

Photo: Jessica Strickland Photography:

Hydrangea:

Or, um…these other flowers that I don’t know the names of.  I see orchids, roses, freesia, ranunculus, button mums, berries, and maybe dahlias too in the next couple photos.

Photo: Rebecca Davidson:

Barbara Banks Photography:

Flowers: Cranes Creations:

(You know I have to include at least one Martha in each issue of “Wish Candy”!)

Are these camellias?  In the words of Rachel Zoe, “I Die”
::correction!  these are coral peonies.  thanks Gerry!::

Opalia Flowers:

Seasons: A Floral Design Studio:

And, of course, in my book you can never go wrong with feathers, like these hot pink ones from Yvonne Event Floral and Decor:

Is pink your signature color?  How will you be incorporating it into your bouquet?

Are you in the special event industry?   Join Room Service at the new Long View Gallery as they show off their beautiful lounge furniture.  Be sure you RSVP by 10/28 — email Heidi Berger to get on the list.

Are you a bride who’s considering renting a furniture lounge for the wedding?  This party is intended for event pros but open to folks like yourself who want to see a lot of lounge options in one place.  Feel free to attend!

Here’s a fun photo of a Room Service setup I found on their Twitter page:

“Meghan and Eric’s wedding ceremony and reception were Saturday at Oatlands Plantation.

The event was absolutely perfect! – and in no small measure due to the attention to detail and determination of Rebecca. She was everywhere – but most importantly she was exactly where the action was before something could go wrong – and made sure nothing was allowed to go wrong.

Her recommendations covered the gamut from decorations to organization – and the kudos I received from family and friends from all over the U.S. and several foreign countries really belong to her.

I’ll recommend Rebecca to anyone as a wedding coordinator!  That recommendation also extends to your whole staff.

My sincere thanks for a job done extremely well – with courtesy and a professional attitude.

Jerry Kelly

FOTB”

UPDATE!  PHOTOS FROM FREED ARE HERE!

So…anxious to see the rest of the party?  Sorry I cut you off so suddenly after Part 1!

Back on the street level of the house, we peer down the steps into the all-concrete basement at the Halcyon House:

Capitol Decor named the party The Garden of Good and Evil.  An eerie and dark theme lends itself to all sorts of awesome decor possibilities:

Check out the trees to the left and the right, as well as the tree-shaped lighting done by John Farr Lighting Design:

A better view of the lighting along the wall:

I really loved the cocktail tables, which featured a natural-themed centerpiece on top and a lit chandelier underneath!

I mean really.  When’s the last time you’ve seen a lit chandelier underneath a table?  The Capital Decor team is so creative!

I also really liked these spindly-looking wooden tables, clustered against a wall.  They have a certain Tim Burton-esque feel about them, don’t they?

It’s unfortunately impossible to tell, but do you see the artwork in the center?  That’s a piece by the home’s owner.  Built up around it is a metal truss system with a stage on top.  Guess what!??  That’s the DJ booth!  DJ Chris Laich was spinning and mixing for us all night:

Check out the awesome shelf setup for the bar.  I thought this was a wonderfully creative way to display the bar glasses instead of the usual 6′ rectangle skirted table you see at typical events:

Well Dunn Catering provided all the drinks and munchies for the party.  Here’s one of their rolling signature drink carts.  This bartender was mixing up a fancy martini for my friend and fellow wedding planner Sara Bauleke:

So then — the party switches gears!  Obviously the indoor space was the Garden of Evil, no?

Outside in what must be the home’s driveway or alley, the Garden of Good was swinging!  In the center, Capital Decor had a big beautiful urban-themed bar.  Check out the huge US Capitol Dome piece!  There’s also the big awesome graffiti wall behind them (another Capital Decor piece).  Again, check out how they displayed their glasses on shelves behind the bar:

Here’s a ground-level view of the bar.  I love the metallic feel…perfect for an urban event.  I know it’s hard to see the US Capitol Dome because it’s lit so brightly but trust me…it was pretty darn awesome:

Here’s another view from above.  I’ve never seen umbrellas this gigantic before!  Check out the size of the chairs towards the bottom center.  This umbrellas must have been 10-12′ in diameter!  Another cute detail is the Lincoln Memorial prop behind the food station.  I love these DC-themed props!

Here’s another view of those gigantic umbrellas.  Look at the ratio of their stands to the umbrella!  Ridiculous!

Off to the very right you can see green lighting of the ‘Evil’ party through the windows.  I really liked the combination of the blue linen and red chairs for their cocktail seating area.  This color combo was popular on wedding blogs about a year ago and I’m just now starting to see it show up at real events.  What do you think of the blue/red color combination?

Here’s another view of that seating area.  I love the big red vinyl sofa!  How awesome is that thing?  The mirror on the table is pretty phenomenal too:

Thanks for inviting us to your event, Capital Decor!  We really had a B-L-A-S-T and it’s always great to catch up with familiar faces.  Cheers!

UDPATE!  PHOTOS FROM FREED ARE HERE!

Earlier this month, we were invited to attend an industry party for event professionals only!  I love this time of year, when local companies invite their colleagues to an evening out and show off the things they can do.  This particular event was hosted by Capital Decor and Events, a props/staging/decor company.  Remember my post about their gorgeous warehouse?  Yep, that’s the same company!

We arrived to the Halcyon House in Georgetown, a phenomenal estate in the center of the historic district.  Walking in through what seems like the back of the house, it’s not extremely impressive.  Just a standard brick facade in Georgetown.  THEN you go upstairs and out the ‘front’ door.  Check it out!!

Can you believe this thing is smack dab in the center of Georgetown?  Check out all the phenomenal rooftop garden space they have, designed by L’Enfant himself:

Does it look familiar?  Wedding photographer Justine Ungaro just got married here a couple months ago:

The expansive space is perfectly suited for outdoor wedding ceremonies or cocktail hours.  Did you know that the Halcyon House is a private residence?  It’s the home of a fabulous modern sculptor, who displays his work nearly everywhere you look:

This thing goes on and on!  They even have a pool up there!

You really can’t argue with a view like this!  That’s the Key Bridge, stretching out towards Rosslyn in the distance:

Back inside, the upper level is set up with furniture like a regular home.  This is perfect for indoor cocktail parties in case the weather doesn’t cooperate:

In one of the rooms, Capital Decor had set up three beautiful fall tablescapes to tease our imagination!  They used all kinds of fun things, including rose-colored champagne glasses, a playful swirl-patterned linen, and even artichokes and eggplants in the centerpieces:

It was romantic and dim in the room so please excuse the lack of detail here.  The two centerpieces are overflowing with purple orchids.  On the table, three green beaded lamps are clustered in the center, drawing the eye down to the table:

This table was a bit more modern, with tightly packed rose centerpieces and green-colored water goblets.  I especially loved the way the napkins are set…horizontal like a bow tie:

So if those tables are just for show, where’s the party!?  Well, it was in the basement!  I have too many photos to share with you today but will follow up in Part Two, coming tomorrow.  Be sure you check back to see all the fabulous decor pieces.  For now, here’s a sneak peek of the entrance:

The first weekend in October was a fabulous time for a wedding!  Stacey & Todd had a gorgeous fall day with warm sunlight and a cool breeze.  We started the day off in Georgetown, at Holy Trinity’s Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola.  I always love weddings in historic Georgetown:

Here’s the front of the chapel.  35 years older than the main church, this pretty building dates to 1794!  I loved the white hydrangea wreaths that DaVinci’s Florist hung on the doors:

After the intimate and touching ceremony, Stacey, Todd, and their families took photographs outside in the chapel’s pretty courtyard.  I thought Stacey looked just stunning in her elegant gown and long veil:

After the family photos, the newlyweds and their bridal party went on a photo safari around the DC monuments.  The advantage of having an afternoon ceremony and evening reception is that you have plenty of time for photos like these!  The next two images were taken by photographer Armin DeFiesta:

The steps of the US Capitol are so utterly ‘DC’ in every way.  I really like this photo because it shows Todd’s “groomswoman” on the right.  His friend Jody stood on Todd’s side during the ceremony and wore black to match the tuxedos.  She carried a bouquet and had a similar style gown like the bridesmaids.  I thought it was a perfect way to match her to the rest of the bridal party:

Armin somehow convinced the US Capitol Police to get them closer to the building!  Here they are coming down from the photo shoot, escorted by the police.  Want to see the images he captured?  Check out Armin’s Blog to see more!

Meanwhile, the set-up at The Washington Club on Dupont Circle was going smoothly!  Here’s the stunning white face of the building:

Just inside, we displayed the guest book and family photographs on an existing marble table:

The guest book was a coffee table photo book of DC!  Guests could use a black or silver marker to write notes to the couple.  What a great way to incorporate DC into the festivities:

Upstairs inside the club, Ridgewells, DaVinci’s Florist, and the band were hastily setting the final touches on the reception:

Here’s a view from the back of the room.  Did you know that The Washington Club has it’s own in-house uplighting?  Stacey & Todd chose an amber color to match the gold & ivory colors of the wedding as well as the warm wood tones in the room.  The band, Doctor’s Orders, somehow all fit on the little stage:

This was one of my favorite floral pieces of the day.  DaVinci’s Florist created this solid rectangular cube out of hydrangea and nestled votive candles inside.  It sat on the sweetheart table and provided just enough romantic candlelight for the newlyweds.  Gorgeous!

My second-favorite piece was the bridal bouquet.  Stacey carried this all-white collection of roses, calla lilies, and poppies:

The wedding cake is a little tricky to see here but really was beautiful!  It mimicked a photograph that Stacey gave the baker, Lara Stuckey of Fluffy Thoughts.  I especially loved the little twigs sticking out of the flowers to match the centerpieces:

Doctor’s Orders rocked the party the whole night!  We should have had a bigger dance area but we moved some dinner tables out of the way once people were done eating.  What a fun time everyone had!

The night was full of culinary surprises.  Towards the end of the evening, Ridgewell’s came out with mini sliders and hash browns, perfect for anyone with the late-night munchies.  It was so much fun to see the shock and delight on the faces of their guests when they realized what they were being offered!  I always love little surprises like that.

Then, as guests headed back down towards the staircase at the end of the evening, they were encouraged to take a little bag of sweets from the candy table.  Some of the chocolates were hand-made by Stacey!  Isn’t this display adorable?

Congratulations again, Stacey & Todd!  I hope you had a fantastic time on your honeymoon in South America!

If you want to see more images from this wedding, be sure you go to Armin DeFiesta’s Blog and watch the slideshow!

Vic & Mike tied the knot!  I was so excited when I met Vic and Mike for the first time.  They truly are sweet people and were very organized with all their wedding details.  A wedding planner’s dream!  Plus they pulled together a great team of wedding day vendors so I knew we’d have a well-oiled machine working to our advantage.

I’ll post photos from Joseph Allen when I get them.  For now, here are the ones I took with my iPhone!

The ceremony was held outside in the Westin Grand’s courtyard.  This space is in the very center of the building, surrounded by guest rooms above.  While you can hear the noise of busy M Street, it still feels very private.  What a great oasis inside the city!

DaVinci’s Florist did a phenomenal job with the ‘altar’ arrangements.  These glass vases are about 4′ tall!  There’s a wreath of hydrangea around the top then the calla lilies bursting out of the top make a dramatic statement.  I loved these pieces.  Victoria also bought red Asian-inspired lanterns that I hung from the trees:

Here’s a view of the ceremony:

The courtyard is also a perfect place for outdoor photos.  I thought Victoria’s stunning gown was suited perfectly to her and the wedding:

This is the opposite view of the courtyard.  Through the windows you can see the ballroom.  Photographer Joseph Allen and videographer Katherine from Blue Sky Films were hard at work here:

After the ceremony and some family photographs, Joseph took Vic & Mike to the street!  I’m super excited to see what he captured…I always love when couples incorporate DC flavor in their photos:

Back at the hotel, cocktails were getting underway.  Of particular note was the escort card table, which featured this fun floral design piece.  The pomander balls are hanging from a branch and there are strands of crystals hanging down too.  Talk about glamour!

I also thought the escort cards themselves were pretty adorable.  Look at the cute damask print along the edge of each card:

Over in the reception room, things are ready to go!  We re-used the chairs from the ceremony so the hotel set up as much as they could beforehand.  Here, tables are waiting for a few final chairs to be placed before we can open the doors.  This is a great view of the room at the Westin Grand, though, to give you an idea of what it looks like.  It’s not your typical hotel ballroom!

Here’s one of the tables, close-up.  Can you believe that centerpiece?!  It’s mostly roses with some deep red calla lilies stuck in.   Diana at DaVinci’s Florist told me how phenomenal they were but I didn’t believe it until I saw it.  Look at how tightly those flowers are packed!  They were simply amazing:

The Westin followed a photograph that Victoria sent them of a particular napkin fold.  I thought they did a great job replicating her idea!  You can also see the bases of their champagne toasting flutes…check out the bling on the bottom of the glasses!

One of my favorite details was the hanging crystals, dripping from the flowers.  It gave the whole table a certain sense of bling!

Lara Stuckey at Fluffy Thoughts brought this stunning cake.  The design mimics the damask theme and was so intricate and precise.  I wish I asked Lara how she did this — it really was a beautiful piece of art!

Here they are, cutting the gorgeous thing.  Look how tall it is!

(Can I let you in on a little secret?  Lara made a dummy layer.  That bottom tier is styrofoam!)

After the cake cutting, Victoria, her mother, and her two sisters each changed into a Qi Pao, a traditional Chinese gown.  You can just barely see Victoria kneeling in her red Qi Pao but she looked amazing!  Mike swapped his tie so they’d match each other.  I thought everyone looked great.

Here you see Victoria & Mike performing a Chinese Tea Ceremony.  While they didn’t follow all the formal Chinese rules and customs, we did a shortened Americanized version.  The same values are upheld, though, and the ceremony represents the joining of both families into one.  The parents give the newlyweds valuable gifts and the couple serves them tea as a sign of respect: 

A special shout-out goes to Carolyn Horton, the director of catering at the Westin Grand in DC.  Carolyn was one step ahead of me the entire night and was 110% attentive, responsive, and proactive.  She was a fantastic team-mate and was very instrumental in the success of the wedding.  Maurice, the banquet captain, was a godsend as well.  I highly recommend them crew if you’re considering the Westin Grand for your event.

Congratulations, Vic & Mike!  I hope you both had a really fabulous time on your honeymoon (Fiji, right?) and enjoyed every moment of your wedding day.  Talk to you soon!