Sponsored Post – Fifty Flowers.com

Last year around this time I was amidst a flurry of plans for our 10 year Renewal.  Flowers were a big question mark especially since my Mom was excited to create arrangements for us.  We literally had no idea where to begin.  I began researching wholesale sources for wedding flowers and stumbled upon FiftyFlowers.com several times.  After a few phone calls and a ton of time choosing blooms we placed our order and the rest is history.  I simply cannot say enough good about this company.  My firsthand experience with their blooms and more importantly their impeccable customer service was nothing short of stellar.  I am beyond thrilled to welcome them as a sponsor of RiceInk.

Here is a look at some of the gorgeous blooms we ordered from FiftyFlowers.com.  If you are seriously considering designing your own blooms for the big day, FiftyFlowers.com is the place to go!  So now for a close-up look at the impeccable blooms we used for our Renewal celebration!

Coral spray roses, love!!  Such a good value….

The staff at Fifty Flowers walked me through the best and most affordable alternative to Peonies…the Piaget rose was the perfect choice and smelled divine!

Lovely Scabiosa!

….

…and Sweet Chocolate Cosmos!!

Renewal in PA Part III – The Favors, Cake and Stationery

For the next installment of our Renewal in PA posts, I am sharing more today about our candy favors, Sylvia Weinstock Cake and the stationery by yours truly!  Have a look at previous posts here and here to catch up on all the detail!

A big part of our vow renewal planning process involved collecting. Some of my fondest memories in planning grew from the many trips we took as a family hunting down depression style glassware, old  sour cream glasses and linens to use throughout the celebration.  My Nana had a good sized collection of vintage sour cream glasses from years past that she would actually use day to day.  I remember fondly drinking from the brightly colored glasses adorned with bold blooms and intricate patterns.  I found the prices to be reasonable, most often at about $1.00 per glass and thought they would make the perfect favor for our guests.  We chose classic root beer barrels, caramel creams and white  nougat candies as the sweet filling for each glass.   Strips of graphic wallpaper (the same used on our photobooth backdrop) secured the candy in each glass.  A small tag printed on our signature watercolor effect paper was fastened with the cutest yellow and white baker’s twine from Bake It Pretty!  Betsy Dunlap created a digital version of our names and as you will see, we took full advantage of her artistry throughout the event.

Perhaps the single most exciting part of the vow renewal planning was designing my cake with the fabulous Sylvia Weinstock!  Based on my watercolor sketches from trips to Utah and a watercolor painting inspired by Sylvia’s iconic sugar peonies, this masterpiece came together just as I had envisioned.  Curious to see the original sketch , read about our first meeting or perhaps the story behind the design?  My beloved Clara French cake pedestal was the perfect home for Sylvia’s creation.  Each of these stands is hand glazed to lovely imperfection.  What I mean specifically is that each creation is one of a kind with the glaze dripping differently on each piece.  A huge thank you to the team at Clara French for taking my very last minute request!

The stationery for the event was admittedly simple.  Without too much fuss, each piece was mindfully crafted to capture the color, texture and mood of the celebration.  Gold shimmer stocks, Betsy’s lovely text, black velvet detailing and punchy dahlia blooms all combined to create a pretty palette of hand painted paper goods.  Our menu was served in stations with some passed goodies.  Each guest menu was painted using various shades of orange watercolor flooded together.  Touches of gold shimmer ink were placed into each petal when wet creating an explosion of color when dry.

Each table featured this fun card wrapped with a vintage hanky and black velvet ribbon.  Fun facts about The Cottage, information about the evening’s events and an open invitationt to explore the 3 floors of the old structure were all included.

Remember our Zane Gray altered book invitations?

Thanks again to Daniel for all the gorgeous photos.  The next and final post is all about our photobooth!

Renewal in PA Part II – The Venue and The Look

To continue our Renewal story today I am sharing more about our fabulous venue in Dallas, Pennsylvania.  Early on in the planning I posted this, so have a look!  The Cottage at Hillside Farms is anything but that which the word cottage implies.  This was the summer home of the well known Cunningham farming family.  A well loved place, full of original china, rugs and architecture, the owners of this grand place trust each visitor to wander carefully and respect the history each item holds.  The minute you enter the Cottage, you are welcomed in, feeling an instant sense of warmth and familiarity.  I still love this space and take every chance I can to return.  It is quite amazing how a space, a home, a room or veranda can draw on your heart and make such an impact. Perhaps it is the spirit of all good times had here that lures people back time and time again.  We certainly added to the celebratory history of this place with our Renewal celebration.

The massive wrap around porch became our party space.  The outer screened wall was lined with banquet tables, draped in peony embroidered loveliness compliments of my friends at La Tavola Linen in warm honey shade.  Every guest had a view of the sprawling front lawn speckled with mature pines and landscape. Above left is a view of the rustic gazebo crafted by the original owners.  Organic shapes made from antlers and fallen branches gave this dancing space its own personality and charming spirit.  Maggie from Details, came along to deck out the space with lights and bold lanterns.

One of my favorite shots of the day; the Hubby’s parents caught in an intense moment of conversation.  A picture is so worth a thousand words.

Each table was detailed with a collection of vintage linens, crocheted doilies, old art frames and small styling details such as collectible salt dips and pretty lotion glass jars I collected over time.  We wanted each table to feel at home, with guests comfortable at their seats and able to soak in the decor, play games and relax. From Yahtzee and Dominos to chess and Boggle, guests were immersed in friendly games all evening long.

Just a few steps beyond the porch was a setting that took us back in time to warm late spring evenings on the lawn.  Vintage lawn furniture was placed about the property in cozy vignettes for guests to mingle and rest.

The grand dining room inside became a haven for those needed a bit of rest from the outdoors.  The dining table original to the property comfortably sat 20 of our guests for long chats and a game of poker or two!

Photos by the talented Daniel Lanton and the kind Kara Walsh

I wanted to extend a huge thank you to the team at the Hillside Cottage for giving us run of this beautiful property.  We set up “camp” there for over 3 days, busy with preparations.  Long days turned into late nights and we always felt right at home.  Up next…a look at the stationery, favors and photobooth!

Renewal in PA Part I – DIY Flower Designs

As many of you might remember, the hubby and I renewed our vows last May and followed up with a big celebration bash in Pennsylvania.  Recently the full gallery of images captured by good friend Daniel Lanton was featured on Wedding Chicks!  So now I am thrilled to share some more details from the party!

Mom and I spent a solid 12 hours arranging over 15 designs with perfect blooms from 50flowers.com.  From their incredibly personal customer service to fresh flowers delivered on time and as promised, I sing their praises as often as possible.  The moment the 20 boxes of blooms were delivered, Mom and I went right to work prepping.  Each stem was snipped, leaves removed, rinsed and them placed in buckets of treated water.  All the buckets were then driven to our gorgeous venue at Hillside Farms in Shavertown, PA.

My snapshot

DarkerShadesofBrown Photography

For months before the party, Mom and I plus sometime the hubby and Dad too, traveled to dozens of local vintage shops to scoop up any amber, orange or yellow glass we could find.  Tall pedestals like those seen above were my favorites.  Mom and I are quite different in our flower arranging styles.  On the left above is one of Mom’s masterpieces in all its organic and flowing beauty while mine to the right is more dense and quirky.  It is amazing what you learn about eachother after 12 hours of wet hands and flower buckets!

DarkerShadesofBrown Photography

This scale glass piece is my all time favorite of the day.  For just $12 at a flea market about a mile from my house, a sweet woman made my day as she wrapped each piece in tissue.  I told her of my plans and she couldn’t have been happier to know that this piece was to be used in such a clever way!  The coral spray roses used in the design dried beautifully and this piece is now displayed in tact in my sitting room!

What was most exciting about the flower design experience was quite honestly the smell.   For two days we were surrounded by the crisp woodsy aroma of Silver Dollar Eucalyptus and the sweet, classic notes of the romantic Piaget Rose.  Other blooms incorporated were White Scabiosa and Ranunculus, Chocolate Cosmos, Peach Carnations, Coral Spray Roses and Italian Ruscus.

Soon I will be sharing more about the favors, menu, cake and the decor details.  Curious about the invitations? Check out this lovely post over at Oh So Beautiful Paper!

Sneak Peek: Renewal Flowers and Thanks Mom!

I needed to take a moment this week to thank my Mom.  The words thank you hardly communicate how much I adore and appreciate her.   As most of you know we decided to take the DIY route to create the Renewal flowers.  With the help of FiftyFlowers.com and a lot of sweat and creativity we managed to craft some beautiful arrangements while having a great time and making memories that will last forever.

As the weeks go on I will be sharing more from the Renewal celebrations. For now though these snapshots capture some of the gorgeous blooms and more imporatantly the heart and soul my Mom infused into this project.  Thanks Mom, I love you!

An Artful Life – Sneak Peek of our Renewal in Zion photos!

One of the best things in my inbox this week…this sneak peek from Lindsey at Green Apple Photography.  She was kind enough to send along an unedited selection of shots for us to share with guests at tomorrow’s party.  Thank you Lindsey for your time, talent and artistry.  Adam and I were honored to have you participate in our Renewal experience.

There is more to come…details, day after cuddle shoot and more….I can’t wait to share.

A Peek into the Studio – The Renewal Party Details!

As you know the hubby and I renewed our vows in Utah just about two weeks ago (photos coming soon, I promise).  It was truly magical to say the least.  All the planning and travel was so worth the opportunity to carve out a piece of history for ourselves, friends and family.  We only wished in some ways that all our loved one’s could have been a part.  However, our small guest list in Utah meant a bigger reason to celebrate in PA!  I love a reason to party!  So here I am, three days before the big celebration…While the hubby finishes our super cool photobooth and Mom and Dad help clean and pack and well just about everything, I have been sneaking time after hours at the studio to design the stationery.

If you remember the original inspiration that I posted what seems like forever ago, you will notice things have changed a bit.  The look is more sophisticated but still with a huge nod to all things my Nana would have loved.  Pretty hankies,  cross stitch details, shimmery papers, abundant flowers and color all around.

The original inspiration board as I envisioned things last July.

Remember our book invitations? I couldn’t resist using the cosmo image on the menus!

After collecting vintage sour cream glasses for the last few months we finally have enough for our guests’ favors.  I cannot wait for my yellow baker’s twine to arrrive from Bake it Pretty.

I’ve been a bit obsessed with wallpaper and this bold ivory and black pattern from Graham and Brown caught my eye instantly.  Open seating is our choice for the event but each table will feature a card explaining more about the venue and the festivities planned for the evening, adorned with hankies of course!

Yay, can’t wait for Saturday!  Thanks for reading!