K&B Preppy Wedding Attire

Just wanted to keep you all in the loop on that resolution I passed earlier in January.

I have enlisted the first Preppy Wedding Inc. wedding that will be held at a plantation near Richmond in October of 2008. I’m working with the lovely couple K&B to make sure that the wedding goes off without a hitch. You’ll be seeing the results of my initial storyboarding this month and I’m going to lead off with some ideas about attire for the wedding. See below for details and happy Monday everyone!

Wedding Dress, Bridesmaid's Dress, Groom's Attire, Flowers & Sign

Preppy Homegrown Chic

This storyboard is for Kate (who did not ask for me to do this, so surprise!). Kate is a transplant from Richmond, who now lives in NYC and is planning a wedding for the fall. It will be held on the shore, where she is from and is going to be a complete homegrown affair.


I love the dress and the use of the green button mums. The mason jar lanterns lead the way from the wedding site to the reception tent. Instead of a cake, cupcakes will lend a homemade chicness to the super casual and fun affair!

The Knot Magazine Features my Preppy Wedding

As I was heading out the door last night to see Atonement with some friends, a little package from the Knot Magazine was propped up on my doorstep. Take a look - it's our wedding. If you live in DC/MD/VA the issue will be on stands soon!

Preppy Bridesmaid Gifts

Well, I’ve gotten a couple of e-mails lately asking for some ideas for bridesmaid gifts. And guess what? I’ve got more than a few ideas for you. Shall we begin?

The first technically is make-up bag from pottery barn. Aside from being able to personalize, you would be able to fill with different perfumes for each girl (based on their personalities), or different shades of philosophy lip balm and bath/shower gels. The opportunities are endless. And pottery barn is offering free shipping - woohoo!

The second, third and fifth items are pieces of jewelry. The thing I love about quality, jewelry is that it will stay with your maid forever. I like this charm bracelet from J. Crew, there are lots of options, so you could again make your choices based on your maids personality. I also love these finds on ebay and it looks like this seller will recondition the bracelets and add charms based on your maids likes/dislikes.

I also love these traditional three monogram earrings. I just think they are staples that would never leave your wardrobe. And this necklace by Adina is simple enough to wear everyday. And the never-ending design could symbolize a friendship that would never have an ending.

To hop on the monogram bandwagon, why not pick out a Jackie Cardigan for each maid in their favorite color and have it monogrammed (J. Crew offers lots of thread colors - take a look).

Or get a longchamp bag in their favorite color. Nordstrom sometimes offers free monograming, inquire in the store for details.

I also adore this bermuda bag from The Jesse B Collection. She has lots of reversible options to make each maid happy. Take a look at her bridal clutches too, they’re super cute.

Still not impressed? How about stationary from Boatman Gellar? There are so many options you’re sure to find something she’ll like.

All in all, the best way to gift your maid is to find something that fits her individual style. Incorporate her name, her favorite colors, her love of toile, whatever. Just keep her in mind when you buy your gifts!

The Preppy Yellow Picnic Wedding

Hello everybody. I have a super fun storyboard for you today. One of my lovely readers, Laurie, wanted some inspiration on planning a fun yellow (and navy) inspired affair for her wedding on the Cape next summer. I had a lot of fun with this board and since yellow is my new favorite color, I almost want to start all over again with my wedding and integrate these golden hues (ALMOST, because I am not a crazy woman and the parent’s wedding fund has been depleted).

Where to begin? I think yellow with navy accents should be the mainstay of your chic, preppy wedding. Think a really sophisticated picnic. Do a buffet style reception filled with grown-up picnic staples like carving/sandwich stations (with all the condiment fixins), a create your own potato/pasta salad bar, and of course you gotta use spiked lemonades as your signature drink.



I’m thinking this wedding would be a fabulous afternoon celebration, you could even spread lush yellow gingham blankets on grassy areas near the water and encourage guests to get their picnic on. Make sure you don’t forget lawn games like bocce ball and horseshoes. And sack races are always a good time, especially after a few beers.

For flowers, I love incorporating lemons into the arrangements. Try using glass vases filled with lemons on some tables and alternating with arrangements featuring lemons. I really like this basket weave cake that echoes the picnic sensibility. I really love these letterpress invitations. Just customize in yellow and navy and you’re in business.

For attire, I love this Thread eyelet wedding dress. And J. Crew provides awesome inspiration for the guys ties and the gals dresses. And for attendant gifts, try these cufflinks and these Turq pearl necklaces complimented with gold ribbons!

Hmmm. What’s left? Favors. I think you should leave guests with these fun picnic baskets filled with your grandmother’s homemade brownies, some Cape Cod potato chips and of course some lemonade to go! Don’t forget to customize the basket with a personalized label!

UPDATE: This wedding from the Knot also provides some great inspiration for you yellow inspired brides-to-be!

An Elegant Richmond Affair

One of my fabulous readers who hails from my hometown of Richmond, VA, e-mailed a few weeks back needing some guidance in planning her summer 08 wedding.

Her main concern was making a color scheme flow in her reception venue, the Country Club of Virginia. I’ve been to a few wedding receptions there and what strikes me the most about CCV is the unbelievable feeling of being enveloped by the lush green grass of the golf course that surrounds the club house. The second great thing about her wedding venue is that the outdoor space is almost always used (especially in the summer).

The girls will be wearing black J Crew dresses and I really thought her second color choice should be a beigy gold (as reflected in this beautiful Romona Keveza dress). It’s a good compliment to the venue and it lends itself to the thematic Southern Garden theme I have come up with. Think Charleston, Savannah and lots of beautiful garden like flower choices. I have included this picture from our wedding photographers that highlights CCVs outdoor space. And this picture from Holland Photo Arts shows the types of flower arrangements I have been thinking of. Jamali Garden Supply would be a great place to come up with ideas for staging arrangements.

I think that bringing in damask as a design highlight would also be great. Use it in these invites from wedding paper divas and in your cakes design (like this, but minus the topper, it distracts). If you like something a little more formal, how about these beautiful traditional Bella Figura invites. Your seating cards could also feature a damask like design to tie everything together.

As for a favor, why not do little white boxes filled with mini sugar cookies from Westhampton Pastry Shop (a Richmond tradition) wrapped with damask paper and tied with a big white bow. You could have the treats butlered at the end of the night or display them stacked between arrangements like Martha has suggested.

The Preppy Wedding Clambake

A preppy reader, Elizabeth, e-mailed about her summer 08 wedding in NYC. Her big concern was making their clambake reception more sophisticated. After doing a lot of research on all that clambaking entails, I saw that the "theme" of a clambake could/would make her wedding seem more like a backyard bbq. So, I took a breather and decided to approach it more like a really Gatsby-esq sophisticated, beautiful and prepptastic garden party.

I started with thinking about how she could handle the set up. Elizabeth will be having the reception at an outdoor club, so I think two great big white tents are the way to go. One tent can be used for the clambake preparation and the bar/dancefloor and one tent can be used for seating. It's in the seating tent that you can create the sophistication and look that you crave.

I loved the thought of an afternoon wedding at a small historic chapel, with guests waiting to celebrate the couple who would be leaving in what else - an antique white rolls royce. I love the thought of ivory and green and the brides dress (a steal at $850) is so simple, yet so beautiful. I also like the though of guys in sportscoats and kakis and I love bringing green in for the bridesmaids dress (the ones pictured are by vucouture). If you wanted to make it a litte more formal, do navy suits for the guys with coordinated green ties.

And I think you should take the ivory and green and incorporate it into the rest of the wedding details:

• A beautiful tablescape like this one pictured. White chairs, white linens, ivory hydrangeas in silver vases and hints of green through tableware.
  


• A simple cake in ivory that is covered in the same ivory hydrangeas with a touch of green berries.
  


• Have custom lobster bibs made for guests with your monogram and date
  


• For favors, have take home lobster crackers waiting for guests at their place setting with a little note attached with ribbon saying "We're taking a crack at marriage"
  


• I didn't feature an invite, but this one in honeydew really coordinates with the theme.
  

Good luck Elizabeth - I hope you have fun with the rest of your planning!

I also hope everyone else in blogland is as ready for their weekend as I am. As I said before, we're throwing a shower for some good couple friends. I promise some pictures for you all next week.

The Preppy Harbor Wedding

So I was excited to get Katy’s e-mail request for a storyboard for her May 2008 wedding in Charlestown, MA here.

So Katy wants blue and green as her colors (as evidenced by the tie fabric featured) and she wants a casual, beachy fun celebration. Now, you know I’m not a huge fan of shells, so my big ah ha on this wedding was love knots. And rope, since they are getting married near the boat slip by the water. I know it sounds crazy, but it led the inspiration for this board. You’ll see what I mean - here goes …

The bride’s dress and bridesmaids are JCrew. Katy has picked out a gorgeous gown, but I don’t want to ruin it for her husband to be, so we’ll go with this one. The guys will wear blue sport coats and kakis with the green and blue ties aforementioned.

The invites are Crane. They are classic navy and white with a contemporary twist. Katy was thinking of doing Christmas save the dates, so I found this announcement from Tiny Prints that could easily be converted to a blue and green holiday themed save-the date.

The flowers are cream hydrangeas with a touch of green berries. Super cute way to bring the green accent color in.

The flowers on the pew are cream hydrangeas tied up with rope. Katy’s getting married outside, but this would still work on her outdoor chairs. I love this outdoor real wedding on the knot and I love the inexpensive paper parasols, they add so much ummph to the ceremony. And get this - Katy’s mom is going to custom make navy toile table cloths. She’ll alternate them every other with navy tablecloths.

And now, the “rope theme” begins …

For table arrangements, take old cylinder vases and wrap with a small round rope. Just super glue to the vase and have your florist fill with cream hydrangeas.

For favors, try koozies (I do love me some koozies) in navy and green with a simple love knot on the front (see here) and Katy and The Man Tie the Knot with the date. You can echo this saying on custom napkins for the bar!

For groomsmen, do knot cufflinks and do similar earrings for the bridesmaids. Echo the knot on the programs and you’ve got yourself a themed affair!

A Preppy Pink and Gold Winter Wedding

Maggie e-mailed me last week with some concerns about planning her preppy wedding. She just got engaged on Memorial Day and is planning for a January 08 celebration. There's not much time to be had, so I'll get to it.

Winter weddings are harder to weave together, I think. You want to make sure everything doesn't look to summery. Maggie was initially thinking black, champagne and a touch of pink. But, after seeing pictures of her reception venue, I had to substitute brown for black. I think with the dark mahogany walls of the reception venue, black would just look too forced. I also opted to re-work champagne to gold. I know you mom hates the gold-backed chairs Maggie - but I think they are just beautiful and would lend themselves to an easy sophistication.

The dress is Monique Lhuillier. It is a beautiful lace. I love it. Enough said! I would go for a satin finish bridesmaids dress in gold that would compliment the sash on the bridal gown. The one pictured is Amsale.

The invites are called Vivaldi and they're from paperdolldesign.com. I love the gold, traditional feel they give. Totally sophisticated, with a little preppy flair.

The cake is so cute. It's light brown and gold and I love the bow detailing. The flowers are from Preston Bailey in NYC. He is fabulous and they combine gold and blush for a perfect fit into Maggie's "new" color scheme.

For favors, try making CDs for your guests. I like these labels from MyOwnLabels to decorate!

Hmmm. Some other details that would be great for Maggie's wedding ....

• Try hot chocolate or spiked spiced apple cider for guests as they arrive from the church to the reception. That should warm them right up!



• An antique gold locket with pictures of loved ones who have passed would be a perfect compliment to your bridal bouquet.



• Make sure to utilize the fire place in your venue. Have a fire going (if possible) and decorate the mantle with two large topiaries with a beautifully calligraphered wrap with the bride and groom's names in between (see my wedding for more details).



• Make sure your coat check is manned and runs smoothly throughout the night.
  Good Luck Maggie and keep me posted on your wedding details!

The Preppy Rehearsal Dinner

A preppy mother of the groom wrote me the other day with some trouble cementing the theme/look of the rehearsal dinner. Now in my experience the rehearsal dinner is VERY important. It is basically the introduction to your wedding weekend!

Our preppy MOG assisted me with a few facts on the wedding: colors are pink and brown, the invitations had been ordered, and the rehearsal dinner will be held at a restaurant on Lake Michigan! Even more importantly, the wedding is August 24, so there is little time to waste.

My first thought around this rehearsal dinner theme was chic starlight garden party. So, have the restaurant turn down the lights, utilize candlelight wherever possible and make sure to emphasize any views the restaurant has of the lake.

For food, I would just keep it light (it is August after all). Try different cheeses and breads for appetizers and how about some kind of chicken and seafood for the main dish? Dessert could be champagne and strawberries to encourage friends and families to toast the happy couple. I would utilize Michigan wine throughout the dinner to give out of town guests a chance to sample the local best!

I love pink and white peonies for flowers in antique hobnail white vases (scour ebay for different shapes and sizes). If you can, try to fit guests at one long table so that everyone feels like they are part of an intimate dinner celebration.

And I would keep the tablecloths and the dinnerware white, but perhaps use detailed napkins to add a little ummph.

I think it also just as important to develop a schedule and flow to the rehearsal dinner just as you would the wedding. Here’s a little schedule that I think works:

7:00-7:45 - Wine and Cheese Meet and Greet
7:45 -8:00 - Grooms parents welcome everyone and get everyone seated
8:00-9:00 - Food is served
9:00-?? - Champagne and Strawberries delivered to table. MOG begins with first toast. Toasting continues. Groom thanks everyone. Bride and Groom pass out their gifts for the wedding party.

I also think that slide shows are very fun additions to the rehearsal dinner!

Now, here are just a few more hints that our MOG asked about:

• I think name tags are in order for the rehearsal dinner. Especially since it is the first time relatives from both sides are meeting. Put up a little sign near the tags that asks guests to include their name and fondest memory of the bride/groom.
  


• As table markers, I think utilizing pictures of the bride and groom running concurrently through the years are a great idea. Take a look at the example on the story board.
  


• As a favor, leave guest with a favorite family recipe or something homemade. I think it continues the whole family affair vibe.
  


• For all you MOBs and MOGs out there, Barrie Pace has some beautiful dresses that do not look matronly. My mom wore a great dress to my wedding that suited her to a tee.

The Golf Themed Bachelorette

Last night, I had a reader request from Jennifer to help her with a bachelorette party she’s planning. The theme is GOLF (Girls Only Ladies Forbidden) a la the movie The Wedding Date. Which I love. And tell me, who’s gonna be watching The Starter Wife tonight? I digress …

Anywho, I put together this fun storyboard of ideas to help Jennifer throw a great party.


First off, I made sure that the theme was not too golfy. Because as much as I like golf, I am not all about golf paper products. So, I chose sage green and brown for my colors and polka dots for my theme and went with it.

Love this invite from wedding paper divas. As you can see, you need to make sure to clearly state on the invite that preppy golf attire is required.

I would start the night of at the host's home. I love these cute polka dot paper products and I would do heavy appetizers with coordinating cupcakes for dessert. Instead of playing lots of games, start the night by explaining that the whole night will be one big progressive round of golf.

Then distribute to each guest a homemade golf score card (you can do this in word) that clearly delineates the holes or bars you will be visiting that night. At each bar, guests are scored on how many drinks they consume. Whoever gets the highest score gets a special trophy that they get to carry around to the next bar.

I would also create some fun cards for each hole. Jot down a task for the bachelorette to complete and distribute to guests to give to the bride at each hole. And if you’re looking for ideas for tasks, visit this site.

Since you’re not buying expensive prizes for games, for favors get all the girls something that will make your group look more like a “team.” I like this headband from etsy, but I can also see argyle socks, hair bows or barrettes or even coordinating polos.

Some other things to remember …

• Get a play list together of your favorite dance songs for the limo ride (that’s right no driving on a night like this)
  


• The host has exclusive power to revoke score cards from any guest who is winning excessively (this is for those competitive girls who could kill themselves by drinking too many shots)
  
• Create a visor veil for the bride using a plain white visor and netting from a fabric store. This signals the bride-to-be without going too over the top.

• To save money on the party, only offer one signature drink at your home. And make sure to include it as the first hole!

Preppy Centerpieces

Last week, I got an e-mail from a preppy reader who was looking for ideas for her cocktail reception. Specifically, she wanted some suggestions on table decoration. Because it is a cocktail reception, you want to make sure that the tables (which are not set up for dinner) don’t look empty.

I think the best way to save money and ensure a full looking table lies in duplication. I also love idea of somehow spinning a classic, traditional flower with a unique vase. So - here are a few of my favorite ideas ….

1. I love the idea of mixing these different green flowers and grouping them to create a full, beautiful table arrangement. You may not be able to see this from the picture, but each grouping of flowers is held in coordinating antique glassware (from brides.com).

2. Who doesn’t like presents. Instead of displaying your favors on a separate table, why not kill two birds with one stone and use them as your table display. You can present the favors on stacked cake plates, just make sure to create some signage for guests letting them know that these presents are for them! (from brides.com)

3. I love that this display of ranunuculus is very full and seems to echo the circular shape of the vase. It tricks the eye and makes the arrangement seem more full and rich (from brides.com).

4. OK, so you know I do love a good topiary. Why not use these from Ballard Designs to display. You could even tie some beautiful grossgrain ribbon around them for some preppy overkill! If these are too expensive, just ask your florist to help recreate! The best thing about using topiaries is the ability to then re-display in your new, married home.

5. A good friend used this concept at her wedding. Buy some small planters (Ikea has a great selection at great prices) and fill with small plants that coordinate with your color scheme. Tie a little bow and tag around the bottom of the planter that says something like, “Our love has bloomed this day - 6.8.07.” Then guests can leave with their own little significant favor that can continue to grow in their homes (from brides.com).

6. This design mimics what I chose for my wedding. My husband and I both love the look of antique mason jars and after one lucky yard sale, we had enough to use for vases at our wedding. I love the casual feel, but also the subtle way it conjures a southern feel (from brides.com).

7. Martha suggests using tea containers as a quirky way to incorporate color into your table arrangements. I think this looks especially nice with bright colors, don’t you?



I hope everyone is doing well this Tuesday. We had a great time in Columbia and the preppy lil sis is officially starting down the road to being a grownup.

We did have a little scare while we were gone. Dempsey dog had a seizure and after lots of tests, he seems to have developed pancreatitis. The lil guy is hanging in there, but he’s on some meds and it’s so hard to not know exactly what’s going on!

I’m also still working on a redesign of the site. Please let me know if you have suggestions for me, questions for me, or if there is something you don’t like about the new format!

Kimba’s Perfectly Preppy Wedding

As many of you know, one of our favorite bloggers, Miss All Things Kimba is getting married next summer in Cap Cod. Here to be exact.

She’s been posting lots of ideas on her site, so I put together a small storyboard of ideas for her perfectly preppy wedding.

Kimba is thinking navy with light blue as her accent. I went heavy on the navy and white, just because I love the contrast between those colors.

The invitation sets the tone for a circular themed, very clean concept. The invites are from wedding paper divas and the circular monogram can be re-created in the packaging of the favors, the wedding program, and even koozies for the after party (Kimba, I’m just ASSUMING there WILL be an afterparty).

The wedding dress is oh so beautiful Oscar de la Renta from brides.com. The bridesmaids dresses are from J Crew, the Lindsey style and are very flattering for all shapes.

To keep with the circular, clean theme, the cake is very simple, except for the beautiful detailing that lends texture to the overall look (Cake via brides.com)

I chose stark white peonies for the flowers. I love the way they look in bunches and they would be lovely pared together in multiples (of smaller vases) for table arrangements. (Flowers via theknot.com)

Now, because this is a beach wedding, we must have some nautical themed elements. I am just not super crazy about shells, so I found these cool sea urchin votives (they come in large and small sizes). They would lend some beautiful candlelight to round tables covered in stark white linens. Also, to integrate a little cheekiness into the table settings, how about this beautiful crane's place card that reads "live & learn, laugh & play, sit & eat at table number one."

I also love the idea of using a vintage Cape Cod postcard (this one is from ebay) as your save the date. A printer could scan the design and create a save the date postcard that would be oh so preppy.

As guests enter your reception, why not greet them will champagne with chilled blueberries as a great blue accent. And as the leave for the night, send them off with a beautifully wrapped whale truffle - the perfectly preppy way to say goodnight!