Inspiration Board #6: A Classic, Bold European-inspired Wedding

Guess what... I have my first wedding design & decor booking! – a May 2011 wedding. This is another close project to me, because it's for my good high school friend, and now client. :) Like any bride, she's already on the hunt for ideas and has been sending me her ideas & images to what she envisions for her day which is very helpful. Then I took her ideas and refined it into a grander vision. I am definitely pushing her vision a little further than what she expects, but I truly think it reflects her personality more. She is very bold & fun, and her wedding needs to have those same characteristics.

Here are some of her key descriptor words: elegant, antique, history, cream and black as the main colors. Of course, I had to throw some color in there and suggested an emerald green. It just felt right for the mood she was going for, and it will add that modern feel to the overall look. Also, I want her wedding to have a little more edge and playful twist to the European, Victorian era that she seeks.

Final color palette: an off-white hue, antiqued gold, emerald green and black.

The bold black & white classic hues are accented with green and touches of vintage gold. The Victorian flair is brought in with the traditional cameos that I plan to customize to her profile silhouette and her fiance's, too. And I feel the need to add antiqued gold & black frames in various sizes to bring out that sense of history. Whether the table numbers are framed, or a cluster of portraits of the bride, groom and old family photos are displayed somewhere in the reception venue. There are soo many fun applications that they can be used for; especially for photography.

When I say I want to the give the bride "a little more edge" to her wedding day, I mean to modernize it from where she wants which may come off a bit dated based on her original key words. And I plan on doing it with a custom, green pattern with a tailored European feel, and I would like to contrast it with another graphic pattern – black & white stripes. However, these patterns won't exist everywhere in the decor; it will be used thoughtfully & selectively throughout her wedding and reception. It's those extra little accents that will give it that personal, tailored, classic appeal with a twist to the European Era.

Invitation design: custom black cameo portraits, incorporate traditional scroll flourish designs, custom green pattern on thick, uncoated paper, letterpress, and a black envelope with a personalized wax seal

Apparel/Accessories: bride in off-white, bridesmaids in black cocktail length dresses and accented in gold antiqued jewelry, the groom & groomsmen in black, or grey suits with black & white striped bow ties/or a tie

Floral selection: white anemones with their bold-dark center and white roses

Table decor/seating: a mix of black and antiqued vases with white florals, candlesticks and eclectic frames on black table linens, gold chiavari chairs, white plates with gold chargers

Guest favor boxes: black boxes accented with a green ribbon, and a sticker seal of the cameo portraits of the bride & groom