Love Notes: The Pacific Weddings Blog

Simply Pink Wedding Flowers

I have always loved pink wedding flowers, in fact we dedicated an entire issue of Pacific Weddings® to the color pink. So when I heard about the release of Paula Pryke's new book, Simply Pink, I couldn't wait for the visual feast to begin. I have been a fan of the talented London florist for years and, like all her other books, this one left me in awe. She has an amazing way of making all her designs look effortless and at once fabulously creative. Here are a few of the gorgeous floral centerpieces from Simply Pink.

 

Originally trained as a teacher, Paula launched her internationally successful Flower School in London eight years ago and teaches florists from all over the world. If you are serious about wedding floral design, stay tuned for more of Paula's flowers, as I will be perusing my library to bring you a few of my favorite designs from her previous books, including Paula Pryke Table Flowers, Paula Pryke Flower School and Wedding Flowers, plus a few DIY tips from the artist herself.  xo ~robyn

Lanvin Wedding Gowns: Collection Blanche 2009

Last year Lanvin introduced their first bridal line, Collection Blanche, and the looks for 2009 are just as chic. I admit, I have a complete crush on Alber Elbaz, the brilliant designer at the helm of the famous fashion house, Lanvin. It could be his humble demeanor or adorable glasses, or perhaps it is the fact that he prefers natural wrinkles ("smile lines") over botox. Whatever the case, I am delightfully researching his life and designs and have fallen madly in love with his collections.

If you want to get to know the soft spoken designer a little better, take a look at this NYT video. Be forewarned, there is something undeniably charming about a guy (with an accent!) who so obviously loves making women happy. In his words, “I don’t have to give you a Tylenol to feel good. I’ll give you, maybe, a red dress, and you’ll feel marvelous.”  In this case, let's make it white.  xo ~robyn

Vintage Palm Tree Wedding

Hawaii wedding details often take their cue from the intoxicating natural beauty of the islands, and a palm tree motif can be beautiful in this tropical context. This article, which first appeared in Pacific Weddings® in July, 2002, was inspired by European botanical prints from the 18th century. Honolulu cake designer, Lillian Masamitsu, created royal icing panels on the wedding cake, which provided a perfect canvas for the hand painted palm tree renderings. The regal pineapple cake topper was sculpted out of gumpaste, and a pearl and white harlequin pattern is accented with intricate lace icing on each tier.

  

 

Baby's breath in tall ceramic vases mimic a palm tree's graceful curves. A lei of crown flowers connects each vase. The table was set on the ocean front lawn of the Four Seasons Resort Wailea, Maui, a fabulous wedding and honeymoon spot. Wedding bouquets and centerpieces in shades of white and pale green reflect the natural color palette of the islands. (Flower designs by Sheryl Suzuki and Eileen Woods-Takayesu of Town & Country at the Four Seasons; photos by the amazingly talented Hawaii photographers Chrissy Lambert and Dave Miyamoto)

 

 

Love Letters for Your Wedding

When fun typeography is married with wedding design, I am a happy girl! I bought a few of these adorable letters for the office girls on a recent trip to Atlanta, and they are now on sale at Anthropologie, so pick them up before it's too late. The fabric covered letters stand on their own or can be hung, so I'm sure you can think of some creative ways to use them as wedding decorations. Send us your fresh ideas via comments or email me: robyn@pacificweddings.com. We are always looking for great ideas and new products. Have a happy Aloha Friday! ~Robyn

Destination Maui: Nothing But Blue Sky Weddings

Today we are featuring a beautiful destination wedding and rehearsal dinner on the island of Maui. The events were designed by wedding planner, Gabrielle Longhi, the creative mind behind Blue Sky Weddings, who grew up surrounded by a family that appreciates fine food and art. The Longhi name is well known in Hawaii, and Gabrielle's father has passed on his legacy and knowledge of fine food, wine and etiquette. (Photos by the talented Robie Price and Joe D'Allessandro.)

 

As an event planner, Gabrielle could think of no person better suited to complement her creative vision than her sister, Carol O'Leary, who was featured as one of Maui's top chefs in a previous issue of Pacific Weddings. A master chef who attended the renowned Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Carol was introduced to the culinary world at an early age.

After working as a chef in her family's restaurants in Hawaii, Carol moved on to launch her own catering company in 1995. Since then, the two sisters have dazzled their clients and guests with sophisticated cuisine and stylish service. For more Blue Sky Weddings, click here.

Style Sheet: A Sunflower Wedding

Like most editors, I find inspiration everywhere I go, from my local produce stand to a favorite vintage shop. Lately inspiration seems to be finding me via twitter, thanks to all of you who are following our Pacific Weddings tweets! It is so much fun to find such amazing creativity out there. Here is my latest inspiration: a wedding style sheet for all of you charming sunflower girls!

(Clockwise from upper left) Kate Spade is such a style icon, and I fell for her graphic Sunflower Tote. I would likely use a beautiful nubby fabric in this hue for the wedding reception table linens. The natural tone is a nice balance to the vibrant wedding palette of yellow and black. I love the vintage chic of this petite birdcage veil from the Modern Romance etsy shop. Gourmet tea tins make a stylish parting gift and you can find them at Beaucoup in various colors. Yvonne Chapman designed this painterly sunflower wedding bouquet after Van Gogh's famous work. (Click here to read the original article in PW). These sunflower slingbacks from Anthropologie would be adorable hidden beneath your wedding gown. Aren't these cocktail sticks too cute? They are available from Miss Pickles Press, who has such an eye for clever design!

(Photo of bride by Lisa Warninger via Modern Romance, photo of bouquet by Dave Miyamoto)

Flawless Wedding Makeup

I can relate to European women when it comes to makeup: I don’t like to wear tons, but I do like the look of a fresh, pretty face. Flawless wedding makeup requires some planning, particularly in sultry coastal climates. Here is my latest list of MAC products I wouldn't want to live without.

I'm loving MAC’s Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation--it leaves your skin smooth and dewy without much shine. (Everyone in our office wears it now!) Take the time to test makeup items well in advance of your wedding date--you don’t want any unexpected reactions! And I always travel with a few different shades of foundation in case I catch a little sun. (By the way, have your heard MAC is discontinuing their Face and Body Foundation? I want to buy an entire case, but what about the shelf life?)

 

A light brush of Mineralize Skinfinish Natural is another must--it won’t give you a “cakey” made-up look like most finishing powders. For lips, before you apply liner and lipstick or gloss use MAC Prep + Prime--your color will go on smoothly and lasts much longer. Right now I am into Angel lipstick (pictured above on our model), a soft shade of pink that looks great on everyone. I am still madly in love with Blacktrack Fluidline (pictured above in Macroviolet, I wear mainly Blacktrack). Pencil liners melt and smudge in the tropical heat, but this little jar of magic won’t budge. If black is too strong for you, try Dip Down in a warm brown shade. The key to liquid liners is the proper brush--don’t worry the MAC reps will direct you. If you have a favorite makeup product, let us know!

(photo of model by Visionari for Pacific Weddings®)

Candy Girl: Wedding Desserts by Amy Atlas

Wedding desserts have been my favorite obsession of late, so when I was introduced to Amy Atlas’s website, I admit my heart skipped a beat with excitement. The fabulously talented event planner who is based in New York is creating quite a buzz with the wedding media—and with good reason! Here is a small taste of her “eye candy” photographed by Karen Mordechai, another talented wedding girl we are so happy to have met. Karen is also based in NYC, but she is available for travel worldwide, so check out her blog and portfolio. Her eye-catching images are rich with vivid color and touching emotion.

Don't you adore the Pucci-inspired motif? We do!

DIY Wedding Favors: Baby Cakes

This is a fun DIY wedding project that will impress even your craftsy girlfriends. These pretty "baby cakes" or "cake bites" are a wonderful addition to a wedding dessert buffet or you could package them as an elegant and edible DIY favor. I found this easy-to-follow tutorial at cakejournal.com, an online journal of the very talented baker and designer Louise, who is from Denmark. The site is full of fun ideas, a confection gallery and lots of wedding inspiration, and Louise has a unique and engaging way of encouraging beginners to jump right in! Thanks, Louise:)

(photo courtesy of cakejournal.com)

The Original Tabloid Photographer

This post is for all the aspiring wedding photographers who follow Pacific Weddings®. Since 1946, photojournalist Jim Romano has chased stories for The Daily News, The New York Post and other papers. This beautiful portrayal was photographed by Todd Heisler and produced for the NYT by Sarah Kramer and Aexis Mainland for the series One in 8 Million. Click here to be inspired by Mr. Romano's legendary career. For more inspiring wedding photography, visit The List of Preferred Vendors.