Invitations: The first whiff of fall comes to your guests in the mail. Decorate Save-the-Date cards and invitations with vines, leaves, scroll work, and flourishes for ultimate autumn elegance.

A gold leaf seal on the envelope or a sprinkling of colorful silk leaves when they open the invitation is a pretty touch!

Decorating ideas: Glittering maple leaves will help give your reception a magical autumn look, whether displayed on a wall or as part of your centerpieces. A unity candle or bridal bouquet wrapped in gold satin ribbon is pretty and sophisticated, especially trimmed with bows and pearls. And what do you think about those precious flower girls scattering baskets of autumn leaves or dried flowers instead of rose petals?  This taupe rhinestone basket will be just the thing!

Centerpieces and Table Decor: A simple vase of flowers surrounded by red and gold flower petals becomes a lovely tribute to fall’s beauty.  To wake things up even more, use eye-popping table linens in orange or crimson. You can also engage the stunning contrast of dark green tablecloths and bright flowers and accessories. Incorporate maple leaf garlands, pumpkins, fruits, tree branches, and of course fall-colored flowers such as yellow sunflowers and red roses. If you want to go with a fall harvest theme, use baskets overflowing with flowers, fruits, gourds, pumpkins, and berries.

Bouquets and flowers: Speaking of flowers, there are so many glorious options to chose from! Gerbera daisies and roses in autumn colors, calla lilies, dahlias, sunflowers, mimosa, delphinium, gladioli, bouvardia, orchids, birds of paradise. Intertwine these flowers with fruits, berries, ivy, grasses or twigs and finish off with soft ribbons or metallic accessories for a look that’s unique and gorgeous!

Wedding cakes and cupcakes: For a final taste of fall sweetness, decorate your cake with colorful frosting, ribbons, and scroll work, adorned with candied flowers, leaves, acorns, and berries.

The French approach blends the inherent beauty of flowers, gathered simply from the garden, with the personal vision and passion of the floral artist.  It is this rapport between nature and artist that gives the French bouquet, whether rendered in the haute couture or garden style, a distinctive personality, flair, and emotional impact.  This season, be sure to look for inspiration from the garden and Farmers’ Markets, in historical styles, and from fashion, to create your own masterpieces in the French style.

Here are some tips and techniques for creating your own cutting-edge designs. Let yourself be inspired by these gorgeous, pastoral creations! The look will lend sophisticated charm to your autumn celebration.

Bouquet végetal. Fruits and vegetables, always a key ingredient in the French bouquet, are especially au courant this season. At Catherine Muller’s design studio, we added a sprig of plaintain bananas, a single courgette (zucchini), and a ripe plum to a romantic bouquet of blue and purple hydrangea and pink garden roses.  Other ideas include surrounding a vase of elegant white lilies with fresh green beans and using large orange carrots to form the base of a striking bouquet of fuchsia phaleonopsis and pink mokara orchids.  Fruits and vegetables add color and substance to floral arrangements, making the “bouquet végetal” not only trés jolie, but cost-effective, too!

Marie Antoinette luxe. As enduring style icon and the archetype of luxe, Marie Antoinette reigns as the ultimate taste-maker, and her legacy continues to influence contemporary trends in French fashion, décor, and floral design.  At the Grand Palais, Marie Antoinette’s objets de luxe were celebrated in a special exhibit that generated rave reviews and renewed interest in her vision.  To achieve the look of romantic decadence and sumptuous opulence in your party décor this season, incorporate signature design elements such as boules de plume (feather balls), romantic flowers (Yves Piaget garden roses), and layers of posh fabrics (tulle, silk, taffeta).  Use rich color schemes (French blue and silver, Versailles pink and gold, royal purple and peridot green) to create a sense of unabashed, over-the-top, classic French style.

Fleur couture. In addition to deriving inspiration from history and nature, French florists are influenced by haute couture fashion, which creates incredible excitement and innovation in their designs. In my strolls through the Parisian fashion district, I noted how the new trends – structured, architectural shapes, strong, primary colors, exquisite hand-detailing (ruffles, layers, pleats), etc. will provide rich inspiration for nouvelle bouquets this season. To create the fleur couture style, use fashion-forward colors in chic monochromatic combinations, incorporate layers of textures (including a variety of natural materials), and add special flourishes and finishing touches (plaid ribbons, tweed wraps, jewel accents) fresh from the fashion runways.

]]> http://www.bride.net/2008/parisian-floral-trends-wedding-decor-and-bridal-bouquets/feed/ http://www.bride.net/2008/hello-sunshine-the-yellow-wedding/ http://www.bride.net/2008/hello-sunshine-the-yellow-wedding/#comments Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:50:15 +0000 dena http://www.bride.net/?p=419 For brides who want something pretty and feminine, but are weary of pink, yellow is a hot alternative.  If the color yellow makes you think of fuzzy baby chicks or iconic smiley faces, think again! When done right, yellow is fun, fresh, and sweetly elegant.

WedSmack offers the following four tips on how to keep it real:

- Color Block. Take a tip from home interiors and go for fresh-looking bouquets filled with chunky, alpine-white flowers. Then pop in a few super-bright yellows (like daffodils or parrot tulips) here and there for contrast. Don’t try to blend them.

- Cozy Up. Pair yellow with other high-energy colors, like tangerine and chartreuse. Or even crisp monochromatics: try gray, or black and white.

- Time Travel. Yellow is tons of fun with a tongue-in-chic vintage theme (think, fifties cake topper kitsch.)

- Beyond Solid-arity. Defy expectations by leveraging plenty of crisp, oversized patterns like swiss dots, lattice or geometric florals.

Here’s a glorious golden wedding collage from WedSmack:

David’s Bridal has dozens of gorgeous bridesmaid’s dresses in yellow:

I also found TheKnot to have a wonderful photo gallary of yellow weddings. Here are a few of my favorite images: