Wild Flowers in Greece: Design Inspiration

I thought a follow up post from Sara's Wild Flowers in Greece would be of some interest.  So here are some ideas of how to use and design the local flowers that Sara described.

Cyclamen images from flowerdesignstannes.blogspot.com
& couturebridaldesigns.blogspot.com

Anemone images from flowerdesignstannes.blogspot.com
& gapphotos.com

Daisy images from thestylishbloom.com
& blog.afloral.com

Iris images from floralaffair.net &
w-weddingflowers.com

Bougainvillea images from konapuppy @ Flickr.com
& thedame.tumblr.com

Hibiscus images from flowerhawaii.com
& projectwedding.com

All of the above images are just a few ideas of what you can achieve with the local flowers in Greece, there are endless options.  There are also advantages to using local produce when planning your Greek wedding, the biggest being cost.

The Bougainvillea wrapped around the flaming torches is just amazing!

NY

A Stylish DIY Blog

I came across this blog today and am in love with it!  The mixture of personal posts with amazing DIY inspiration makes for such an interesting read.  Not only that, the array of vibrant photographs on the site are stunning!

There is also has a boutique shop, full of hand made produce to browse through on the site which is a new addition and certainly one worth a look.

All images from madefromscratch.co.nz

Check it out and see what you think madefromscratch.co.nz


NY

Great Stripey Candle Design

I just came across this cool DIY project on MarthaStewartWeddings.com  I think it is so fresh and gives an atmosphere of understated elegance.

Image from marthastewartweddings.com

If you are inspired in the DIY area this is a really easy but striking project and would be perfect for an abroad wedding. Check out the templates on Martha Stewart's website  

www.marthastewartweddings.com/photogallery/decoration-templates#slide_7 

They really do bring such a beautiful, yet subtle, hint of colour to the table so if understated and chic is what you are looking for, these would be perfect.  For me, I think they would also look amazing free standing in the sand at a beach wedding or just bringing a touch of colour and detail to some rocks.

NY

MIx it up a Little

This was one of the ideas I was thinking about using at our wedding and honestly I think it looks great.  Collecting a mismatch of plates gives such an interesting look to a table and can be used as the main theme of the decoration instead of the floral arrangements and linen.  Although I have to say these plates would not be some that I would choose personally, the idea behind it is the same.  Yes, it takes a little pre-thinking and organisation but the end result can be striking and on top of that, if you choose them well they can be kept after for your own dinnerware.  I have been trying to persuade Jubbs to let  me do this at home but he is convinced we already have too much 'stuff' in our house as it is.  He may have a point but secretly I am already on the hunt!

Image from marthastewartweddings.com

What is great about the table design in this photo is; it shows what an array of textures, prints and colours can bring to a table.  I love the use of succulents as the floral arrangements as they do not detract from the plates, the fact that they have also been displayed in a mishmash of pots and jugs just floats my boat!

So next time you are near a brik a brak shop or having a stroll up Portobello Road keep your eyes open for any cool dinnerware to start hoarding.

NY

Diary of a Greek Bride - My Moodboard to Date

So far, our planner has been great in coming up with suggestions and working with us to develop our vision of what we would like the wedding to be. Ok, she might have taken 3 weeks to reply to my latest email but I guess I just have to accept how laid back Greeks are in comparison to a couple of London city dwellers like us who are used to being in the fast lane in life!  Plus, most places are closed in the Winter months in the islands so it’s not always easy for her to get quotes immediately. Patience is most definitely a virtue here!

While we haven't got a colour scheme as such we have decided to have the olive tree as our wedding "emblem" to represent peace and love and thought it would tie in nicely with our wedding on the island with it being native to Greece. We're hoping to have olive coloured ties for the boys and my bouquet of Greek white roses will have olive leaf foliage in it. We’ll sail all our guests around the island the day before the wedding which we hope will be loads of fun and encourage pre-wedding mingling.  Our civil ceremony will take place outdoors in the ruins of an ancient castle next to the cutest most quintessentially Greek chapel you have ever seen (neither of us are Greek Orthodox so can’t marry in a Greek church). For favours, our guests will each receive a mini bottle of local olive oil made on the island to take away as a memento of our wedding. We’ll have a processional walk back to the reception venue accompanied by traditional bazouki/violin players and it’s these touches which people have oooh’d and aaaahhh’d at that keep us sane in the knowledge we have made the right decision to marry abroad.

Images from (clockwise from top left)
sugarpluminvitations.blogspot.com, stylemepretty.com,
rockmywedding.co.uk, Soros Beach Taverna, & myrecipes.com

My 2 lovely bridesmaids will wear these beautiful dresses from Two Birds http://www.twobirdsbridesmaid.co.uk/ - they're perfect for a Greek island wedding being light weight, versatile and allows each bridesmaid to choose a style suited to their shape.

I've attached my mood board (the dress isn't on there as I will not be giving that away until after the wedding!) to give you an idea of the style of our wedding which will have vintage elements with a rustic feel. I hope you feel inspired by it all!

Next on our list is the invitations .....more to follow!

CC

Tantalising Tables

I came across these gorgeous table designs whilst perusing www.collection26.com .  Enjoy the inspiration and general eye candy of the below images.

All images from collection26.com

I especially love this last one.  It reminds me of a woodland. 

Gorgeous! 

NY

Artwork Inspiration

How cool are these?  I found these art work inspired table names on www.katemillerevents.com and absolutely adored them!  It screams personality to me and shows the couples individuality.  Although, these  images show how they have used artists as their inspiration, I also like the thought of using CD artwork for your visual table numbers  

Images from sergius-bruce.com

Image from sergius-bruce.com

Image from sergius-bruce.com

Image by Jamie Hewlett

Image by Hipgnosis and George Hardie

Image by John Pasche

There are some amazing album covers out there and in using them you are also allowing your guests more of an insight into your personalities.  How much more personal can you get ( to quote the great film 'The Life of Brian').  Not only that, they are some inspiring pieces of music history which tell the story of our lives.  We all have songs that have specific memories of our life story up until this point in time and where else to share such memories that at your wedding.

This is also an extremely easy DIY project, all you would need is some high quality prints of the images, some limed frames and away you go.  Budget friendly without having to compromise on the result!

You have to agree that they make a visually, striking statement and how vibrant is that table plan?

NY

Funky Photo details

I really enjoyed these DIY ideas for incorporating photos into your decor from bridesmagazine.com. I especially liked the photo tree idea and think it could also be a great way to present your table plan.  Instead of having the written names it would be cool to have a photo of your guests with their table number written on the back.  You could then follow this theme through to your table design by using photo place names as well. Black and white photos to complement a monochrome theme, would look striking.

All Images from bridesmagazine.com

The confetti cones are also pretty cool.  Using images other than portraits could add a new dimension to the cone and really be a unique detail to the service.  

All the above ideas are such easy DIY projects to make your time in Greece more fun than work and none of them necessitate too much forethought as a lot of it can all be done once you are at your wedding destination.  Not only that, all of the parts needed to make them, bar the photos, can be sourced in Greece so there is less to pack! Loving it Brides!

NY

Shipwreck Heaven

Wow!  I love this themed shoot for NonPariel Magazine it is gorgeous.  Now you had all better get comfortable as there are a lot of images to go with this.  I just could not decide which to have so I have posted most of them.  I find this shoot not only fresh but completely without any cheese factor attached to it.  Hard to pull off when your theme is shipwrecked.  I think you will all agree that it looks amazing and could be used in a number of venues.  I would love to see this adapted to a beach.  How striking it would be and the visual impact for you guests, on arrival, has the potential to be huge.

 

 

 

 

All the above photos are courtesy of lapartieevents.squarespace.com and where shot by www.elizabethmessina.com

Do you see what I mean?  Absolutely breath taking.  The attention to detail is perfect and can be easily replicated and changed to reflect your personality.  The other thing to take into consideration is that a lot of this can be done yourselves so it would not have to cost the earth.  Amazing!!!!!

Obviously I am  big fan!

NY

Adding a Dash fo Colour and Texture

When planning the look of the tables you may want to add a dash of colour to either all or just a few tables.  Greece is famous for its embroidered table cloths and napkins so why not incorporate this into your theme. On any Island or the mainland you will find little shops showcasing an array of embroidered goods, some are eyesores and some are beautiful.  You will also be able to find a vendor that will make to order what you want, so you can design your own.

Images from
thebuzz.dianejameshome.com,
& wisteria.com

Images from
kaylovescandy.blogspot.com,
& theknot.com

I like the idea of having maybe half of the tables with the coloured napkins/runners on them and the rest having the same pattern but in white.  Not only would it provide accents of colour to the dining area but also just having the alternating plain embroidery will give texture to the tables.

Afterwards, once washed, they would make lovely mementos of you special day for yourselves, your parents and your in-laws.

NY

       

So So Succulent

Succulents are a great choice of flower for Greece.  They can withstand a lot of heat and the do not need too much water. I personally, love their structural form, especially coupled with bright coloured flowers to really give them a lift.

Here are some moodboards for you to peruse at your leisure.

Images from (top left clockwise) recycledbride.com,
floracadet.com,  floragrubb.com, jasminestarblog.com,
rootedinpaperandart.blogspot.com,
& alchemyfineevents.com

Images from (top left clockwise) heidiryder.net,
forgetmeknotweddingsblog.com,  jmsucculents.com,
floragrubb.com & pgjennielove.wordpress.com

There are so may different ways to arrange the succulents that all produce a completely different feel.  They really are such a versatile plant and definitely worth considering for your wedding arrangements.  I am loving that table plan.  It looks gorgeous!

NY

A Magical Tablescape

This amazing tablescape blew my mind.  It is an amalgamation of ideas from Datura - A Modern Garden (amoderngarden.com)and Jubilee Events (eventjubilee.com).  Their blend of creative ideas has resulted in a beautiful tablescape that just oozes chicness and rusticity.

Images by carlateneyck.com

 The use of moss is genius and I adore the texture that it gives to the bouquet.  It has also given such a contrast in texture to the cake without detracting from its edible allure.

Images by carlateneyck.com

Images by carlateneyck.com

This is such a great base to build your own theme from as all the plants can be adapted to your floral taste and any destination as, whatever the climate they can be watered to keep them fresh.

As for the seating plan, you will gather from my next post that I am loving the floral plans.  I think they are striking and a great way to set the theme for the rest of the reception.  They are the finishing detail to a beautiful tablescape which has blown my mind.

NY

Odds and Sods

I thought I would show you an unorganised array of things I found and just loved.  It is a random collection of images just for your visual delight and a little inspiration!

Images from
 stylemepretty.com &
nextexitphotography.com 

Image from
 notonthehighstreet.com

Images from oacphotography.com & ambientstudios.ca

I know it really is quite a random post but I just saw these images and felt I needed to share.  The portrait photograph with the moustaches has been amusing me for at least an hour now.  How hilarious is that shot!

NY

Quintessentially Greek

How gorgeous is this image?  It is so quintessentially Greek, I love it.  For me coming into a wedding reception and being confronted by this scene would just make my heart jump especially as the sun starts to set and the up lit boats really come into their own.

Image from zazoo.gr

This atmosphere can be created with ease in so many different locations in Greece and that for me is what makes it so great.  Whether or not your would have to hire the boats for it is another question but honestly, I think it would be worth the research.  It is simply, beautiful.

NY

Lucky Lotto

Every year I hold a Christmas feast for a bunch of my friends (yes I love the festive season!).  It generally involves a lot of food, drink and immaturity, I think this comes from us all knowing each other for between 17 years old to 20 years ( when did I get so old).  As any true Christmas bash should involve there is a secret Santa session at the end of supper and it is this that leads me to the inspiration part of this post (obviously cunningly disguised in all this pretty irrelevant information!).  

Image from dottiecreations.com

Last year my dear friend and Maid of Honour wrapped up a bunch of scratch cards.  Genius!  Whilst at the modern bride show I came across a company called Dottie Creations that had taken that idea a little further and had favours of lottery tickets.  I love this idea.  Buying a batch of Greek lottery tickets ( may as well get in the spirit of the country you are getting hitched in) and packaging them beautifully would make such a cool favour.  Budget wise, it would be damn reasonable too as well as something they may actually enjoy and appreciate.  Think about it....it is awesome!

NY

Edible Menu

I think firstly it should be stated that these are only going to work at a wedding in Greece if they are laid out at the last minute, otherwise your guests will just be met by a melted mess.  

Image from delysia.com

That said,  how amazing are these?  Not only are they striking but the guests are in a win win situation.  These menus are informative and tasty! Just plain brilliant.  

Image from delysia.com

They are made by Delysia Chocolatier and are such a unique way to dress your table.

NY