Love Notes: The Pacific Weddings Blog

Paula Pryke Wedding Flowers, Part II

As mentioned in a recent post, I'm a big fan of UK florist Paula Pryke, so I wanted to share more of her unique wedding flowers. We often find inspiration for the Pacific Weddings® floral photo shoots within her fabulous books, most recently, Simply Pink. Whether you are planning nuptials in a tropical location like Hawaii or heading to California's Wine Country, here are a few beautiful designs in keeping with a destination wedding.

We are always on the look out for interesting chair decorations, and white-on-white is one of my personal favorites. (Upper left) White hydrangea is ideal for this classic modern chair; ivy and spray roses or a bouquet of daises suit a Wine Country wedding; a lei of dendrobium orchids (lower right) is a popular choice for a Hawaii wedding.

Tropical wedding flowers can be stunning when designed to show off their drama and striking colors. Paula uses variations in texture and height to achieve this look. I love the woven Dracena leaves of the centerpiece on the right--her details are simply exquisite.

 

One vase three ways: Paula is known for her creative use of unexpected containers and vases. Here she lines a rectangular glass vase with colorful sand, lemons and jelly beans. I like the idea of presenting  wedding centerpieces as generous hostess gifts at the end of the evening. Wouldn't these be perfect?

Exotic Honeymoon Travel: Afar Magazine Launches Soon

If you who are planning your honeymoon and seeking an experience beyond the commonplace, we've got good news. As a bona fide Dwell groupie, I was on the list to receive word about the summer launch of a magazine called Afar. The new title and website are the brainchild of globe-trotting entrepreneur Greg Sullivan and Joe Diaz, a former teacher who grew up "with one foot in Spain and the other in California". The two seasoned travelers presumably hatched the idea for AFAR Media over a beer on a beach in Goa, India. Here is the basic premise in their words:

Travel is changing. The world has grown smaller, more accessible, yet homogenized and less exotic. Today's travelers want to get beyond the superficial, the mass-produced, the mass-consumed, and the mass-experienced. They look for the authentic in people, places, and things. Introducing AFAR Media: for a different kind of travel. What is experiential travel? Experiences that connect you with the essence of a place and its people.

AFAR understands that simply seeing the sights is no longer enough. Experiential travelers want to venture beyond the beaten tourist paths and dive deeper into authentic, local culture, connecting with people from other cultures in ways that enrich their lives and create lasting memories.

Afar promises to be an amazing resource to plan an unforgettable, meaningful honeymoon. I have already subscribed, so we will keep you posted on the Afar adventures ahead.

(cover courtesy of Afar Media)

Book Love: Destination Wedding Planner by Alison Hotchkiss

Meet Alison Hotchkiss, the owner and creative director of Alison Events, a full-service event planning company specializing in destination weddings. We've featured Alison's beautiful work in the pages of Pacific Weddings magazine (click here to view)— her style always leans toward fresh and modern. She is our kind of girl;) When she is not orchestrating fabulous events around the globe, Alison enjoys surfing, traveling, gardening and practicing yoga in San Francisco. Along the way, she found time to write a book: Destination Weddings; The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Wedding From Afar, featuring photography by Thayer Allyson Gowdy. We sat down for a quick chat with this wedding planner du jour!

Tell us what you're up to these days?
Scouting new places around the world! I was recently in the Bahamas for a photo shoot with a magazine and I stayed a couple of extra days to scout beautiful alternatives to the big hotels. It was fantastic, but I think I need to take a break from conch fritters for awhile!

How would you describe your personal aesthetic?
Natural, romantic, simple, elegant and modern. Not contrived or overdone but comfortable, relaxed and colorful!

Is there a particular kind of client that you attract?
Avant-garde, self-made 20 and 30-somethings, laid-back adventurous types with good taste and style.

You have worked in some pretty amazing locations. Tell us about your dream venue. My dream venue is by the water, surrounded by white sand with an amazing surf break in the background, a warm climate, a light breeze and lots of palm trees

In your experience, what are the bride's top priorities on her to-do list?
Involving family members in the ceremony, whether it's a reading or recognizing their parents for their support with a bouquet of flowers. I encourage my clients to talk to the family about what is important to them in regards to the ceremony and we try to accommodate their wishes.

Getting to the destination early and relaxing is important as a stressed-out bride will make stressed-out guests!

Having fun the wedding day and letting everything else go! It's OK if your hair is not perfect, the cake is a shade lighter or the chairs were supposed to be in a circle and now they are not— that does not matter when compared to the unity of you and your fiancé.

What are you excited about at the moment?
I am planning and designing this wedding in Healdsburgh, California (Sonoma Valley) and we are covering the pool with a subfloor lined with seagrass with the dining area on top. The venue has the most amazing views of the Russian River so it will be really dramatic for the guests dining at sunset. I am also excited to be a panelist at the Enageg09 wedding symposium in the Grand Caymans. I am so honored to have been asked to speak and can't wait to share with everyone!

 
Purchase the book here. Congrats, Alison!

Wedding Book Love: Sylvia Weinstock Sensational Cakes

Sylvia Weinstock is famous for two things: creating absolutely gorgeous wedding cakes and donning her signature style, black framed glasses. We were thrilled to hear that the wedding industry's "Queen of Fanciful Cakes" had compiled her latest work into a book, Sylvia Weinstock's Sensational Cakes. We not only see page after page of flawless buttercream cakes and sugar flowers that perfectly mimic nature, Weinstock takes us into her busy artisanal workshop where a staff of 17 assists her in baking and embellishing each confectionary masterpiece.

A little known fact about Sylvia Weinstock: the designer never had a cake at her own wedding, a subtlety that actually sparked her desire to create gorgeous cakes. She says, "A cake is a quintessential part of a party ritual. As it turns out, a cake is more than just a dessert: It's a decoration, a conversation starter, a backdrop for photos, and sometimes even a keepsake." We couldn't agree more!

Portrait of Sylvia Weinstock by Melanie Dunea
Cover photo by John Labbe; Stewart, Tabori & Chang

Colin Cowie Joins Get Married

The name Colin Cowie has become synonymous with lavish parties and events. With Colin Cowie Lifestyle, his event-planning, interior design, and lifestyle company based in Los Angeles and New York, he has earned his position as one of the most sought-after wedding planners in the industry. He's recently joined the ranks of the Get Married television show on Lifetime as their new host this winter season. In addition to lending design and wedding expertise, he will touch on fashion, food, decor and travel advice. Tune in to season 2, beginning January 5th and airing every weekday morning at 7:30 AM ET/PT on Lifetime Television.

For a crash course in Colin Cowie pick up his latest book WEDDING CHIC showcasing 1,001 of his most spectacular ideas and a comprehensive resource for creating a wedding like no other.