We introduced you to Faye & Matt in an earlier post.   They are the amazing couple that won the Love of a Lifetime wedding at the incredible Independence Seaport Museum on May 23rd.

Here is your opportunity to vote for the invitations designed by Two Paper Dolls that will be going out shortly.  Both are beautiful!

Here’s how it goes.   Each element of the wedding will be voted on by the public on the website hosted by Philly.com.  So far, the perfect menu and food service from Culinary Concepts has been chosen.  (YUM! – Philadelphians have great taste in food!).  Now it’s up to you to choose between the two amazing invitations created by Two Paper Dolls.   Here they are.

Hurry up and cast your vote for either one of these.   I have my favorite, but that hardly matters!

After the invitations comes the two totally custom-made wedding gowns from Janice Martin.   We’ve been going to the fittings and I’m sure you will adore what’s being created for Faye.   Deciding between the two might be a problem though.

Congratulations Matt and Fay e- winners of the “Love of a Lifetime” wedding!

Photo by Kevin York

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We were so excited to be asked to showcase ourselves to the brides of the Please Touch Museum.    It is such a wonderful, unique and fun place in Philadelphia to have a really spectacular celebration.   It’s unusual to have a place in the City (other than a hotel) where so many people can be seated with room enough for a good size dance floor.   Plus, the place is just gorgeous and is a joy to work in.

photo from the Please Touch Museum website

What more can I say?  Oh yeah, it has a carousel!!

Sofia Negron took some wonderful photos of the table we created for the occasion. We did something a little different this time and people really loved it. Thank you so much Sofia!

We often get asked by our clients to create tablescapes instead of centerpieces — which is one of our very favorite things to do. We think these lovely red flowers (provided by Beautiful Blooms) are the perfect floral accent when you don’t want the flowers to dominate the decor.   And the napkins rings are perfect – they have a little hole to insert a single flower stem.   You can get a set for yourself at the Eclatante Boutique.

Lately, we’ve seen a bit more family-style service on the dinner tables. Here, we’re serving dessert family-style, on pretty plexiglass platforms filled with petals. Just a little different. And it gives the table some dimension and interest.

These individual little butterfly seating cards are among our favorite things in the Eclatante Boutique.  The birds are adorable, too.   People really really love them!   And guests are totally enchanted when there is one at their placesetting.

By the way, it’s taken me a long time to like stemless wine glasses.  I know I’m behind the curve on that, but I’m finally here.   I actually like them now!  Especially since we got a gorgeous set for Christmas.

Thanks to Kelley, Scott & Kimberly at Max & Me Catering!  It is pure pleasure working with everyone at Max & Me who really put this whole thing together!  Not only is their service and food absolutely amazing, their people are GREAT to work with!

We’ll do a more complete blog on the Please Touch Museum soon.  There is so much to that incredible place!

Welcome back to Holly & Bill’s wedding.   If you read Part I, you know that their wedding was incredibly romantic and beautiful.   Just like them.

So, to continue, after the ceremony, the guests were invited to eat, drink and mingle among the stunning statues and masterpieces that adorn the walls of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts while Holly & Bill took off with Marie Labbancz for a memorable photography session.

Meet Bill’s adorable twins – Evan & Lexie.   They were so delightful throughout the whole day.

I think forgot to show you the wonderful ring bearer’s pillow that Beautiful Blooms created for Evan in Holly & Bill, Part 1 — it was really cute.

The couple then went into the Sculpture Gallery and had some incredible photos taken.  I just LOVE these!

And of course, with Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in such a prime location on Broad Street, there is simply no excuse for not taking the classic and always beautiful photo in front of City Hall.

Guests just loved their seating cards — they received a beautiful handblown glass pumpkin with their names printed on attached cards.   So so so so pretty.

After the photos and the delightful cocktail hour where they greeted all of their friends and family, Holly & Bill had their grand entrance into the real party!

The tables were absolutely lovely.   Beautiful Blooms did a spectacular job of creating the centerpieces that perfectly matched the look and feel that the couple wanted.

Since the night of that wedding, I’ve called their maid of honor toast “the best MOH toast of all time.”   If you need a refresher on that amazing story, here it is:  TRUE BFF’s

Finally, the cake cutting:

Then the guests danced the night away and left with candy & caramel apples.

We look forward to keeping in touch with these two.  I just know their lives will be filled with wonderful stories and beautiful memories!

Come visit us at the open house for Max & Me Catering held at the Please Touch Museum on Wednesday, January 20th from 6-8 pm.   The Please Touch Museum is so amazing and unusual, I just don’t know where to start – but let’s got with this:

It has A REAL CAROUSEL you can ride!!!

We’ve been fortunate enough to have planned and designed a few weddings at the Please Touch Museum.  It’s an amazing place to have a wedding!   Check out some photos of some of the other fun things we’ve done there.

If you’re looking for the perfect venue and an amazing caterer for your wedding, you should plan to stop by this Open House next Wednesday.

Please RSVP to Kimberly at 215.578.5188 or kim@MaxandMeCatering.com.

Holly and Bill are two amazing people who met when Holly was walking her adorable little Yorkie, Lola, on the street where she lived.   As luck would have it, Bill lived just a few doors down.   They had to go through all the motions, of course, but really, the die was cast that day on Wildey Avenue in Philadelphia.

Holly was a gorgeous and sweet bride.   Her Lazaro gown was amazing and her Manolo Blahnik shoes were just right.   I loved Holly’s hairstyle that day (beautifully done by Claudia Seyler).   Beautiful Blooms created all the floral magic which began at Holly’s home in Phily, then moved on the enchanting Academy of the Fine Arts (the Historic Building) for the gorgeous ceremony and reception.

Marie Labbancz masterfully captured the romance and the beauty of that amazing day!

First up, Holly getting ready at her very cool row home in Philly and the extremely touching ceremony.

This is the very spot where Holly met Bill (with Lola)!

What better way to kiss 2009 goodbye than by throwing this month’s fantasy New Years Eve Wedding party at the gorgeous Conservatory of Winterthur Museum and Country Estate in Winterthur, Delaware!  Through these gates a magical fantasy celebration awaits featuring the colors of onyx, gold and emerald.

These magnificent photos are compliments of our good friend and photographer Marie Labbancz who beautifully captures our step-back-in-time to the days of glamour and lavishness!

As you can see, our unique table design flows seamlessly in conjunction with this venue and the outdoor scenery. We absolutely love this striking centerpiece cone Beautiful Blooms created out of gardenia leaves with a burst of extraordinarily lush, black feathers.  Who doesn’t love feathers in winter?

Our table was decorated with cut crystal candleholders and gold pillar candles. We’re crazy about how the linens coordinate beautifully with the rims of each plate and cup, then brought together with perfect napkin rings!  Then, of course, the ultimate last touch with the feather placed inside each napkin.

Beautiful Blooms really outdid themselves with this unique bridal bouquet made out of green cymbidium orchids, green prada carnations and black feathers.

This absolutely stunning boutonniere was made of orchids and black feathers.

The fabulous bridal gown designed by Matthew Christopher and provided to us by Gabriella New York Bridal Salon (we love them!) is reminiscent of the glamorous and lavish styles of the 1920s and 30s – the era of gorgeous Hollywood starlets and incredibly extravagant parties.    Your eyes immediately follow the feather details along the back and length of the gown unveiling its sensational drama, softness and femininity.   Our model wears pearls to accentuate the vintage qualities and period style of this gown.

Claudia Seyler did the hairstyling and makeup for our bride capturing the essence of this time period by using pearl accents and bright red lipstick.

We hope you enjoyed our 2009 color stories as much as we enjoyed creating them and sharing them with you  Stay tuned for our January color story when we bring you our first beautiful surprise for 2010!

We’ve got something old, something new, something gorgeous and something blue for this month’s fantasy party!  We invite you to join us at this fun and elegant cocktail party where the colors of sapphire, orange and gold bring to life a festive October Color Story.

The venue for this month’s story is the reflecting pool on the grounds of the lush, glorious and historic Winterthur Museum and Country Estate nestled in the heart of Delaware’s beautiful Brandywine Valley in Winterthur, Delaware.

Photographer Marie Labbancz works wonders with her camera to bring you these breathtaking shots!

As you can see, the bar takes center stage at this sophisticated and extraordinary party!

We created a double-level bar draped in a rich krinkle sapphire blue taffeta. On the lower level of the bar, we used a beautiful Obi Belt made of luxurious orange and gold silk for a runner.  On top of this fantastic runner we placed beautiful florals by Beautiful Blooms created from drop dead blue roses inside gold cube vases, along with square votives.

We draped our side cocktail table with gorgeous orange linen with gold accents.   The arrangement on the table consisted of a dome vase with blue stones and orange callas.

What’s a party without fun signature drinks in carefully chosen tinted glassware.

And check out the gorgeous dresses our models are wearing – all provided by Gabriella New York Bridal Salon!

Forget the little black dress! Angel Sanchez is the designer of this amazing little white cocktail dress worn by our host model! Douglas Hannant designed the purple cocktail dress that our guest wears.

Claudia Seyler of Claudia Seyler Hair and Makeup gave our model a romantically styled 60’s type hairstyle reflecting the style of that incredibly chic cocktail dress!

Next up:  our November story – a stunning and romantic ceremony set in silver, purples and grey.

FINALLY!  Part 2 of Laura & Zach’s wedding!!   In case you need a refresher – take a look at “Laura & Zach – Part 1″.

You will love the photography by Laura Eaton Photography. Laura and Paul Eaton  really captured the essence of this wonderful couple!

When the guests entered the amazing F.U.E.L. House, they were delighted to see an extremely unusual display of seating cards — we designed a fabulous array of flowers in personal mini-vases created bu Beautiful Blooms with seating cards attached. Each little vase was hung gingerly from the wall of one of F.U.E.L.’s cool seating benches.

The tablescapes were absolutely beautiful and truly suited perfectly to Laura & Zach’s sweet and natural style.   We love the combination of the chartreuse and purple linens along with multiple tinted vases filled with gorgeous florals from Beautiful Blooms.   So so sweet.

Here is a prime example of why we love succulents!

And, of course - -the never-failing photobooth!

We will always remember Laura & Zach and what a dream they were to work with!

Our September Color Story offers an escape into a world of the rich and vibrant colors of deep purple and yellow in a magnificent and elegant setting.  We love the energy of this stunning story!

This month’s fantasy party takes place at the Elkins Estate on the terrace of this amazing grand mansion. Photographer Marie Labbancz once again showcases her creative genius by capturing these breathtaking images and shots!

As you can see, our unique table design works wonderfully in conjunction with this venue as the simple outside exterior brings focus to the fascinating, customized and complex centerpiece.

We absolutely love this two-tiered plexi-glass centerpiece structure created by Beautiful Blooms with hanging yellow calla lilies and a floral arrangement comprised of bunches of deep purple hydrangea, yellow calla lilies and yellow eremerus on top.

The lower tier of this amazing composition contains a tasteful mixture of purple votives and yellow roses.  We chose the linens and place settings in perfect compliment to the mood set by  this gorgeous table.

Our table was also decorated with just the right amount of tall yellow vases and small yellow bud vases – all from Eclatante’s Boutique!

Look at the way the light bounces off the yellow colored glass vases and clear glassware creating a modern celebratory feel!

To complement our table design, our bride carried a hand tied bouquet Beautiful Blooms created from deep purple hydrangea, yellow spray roses and bupleurum.

Finally, what can we say about the Pronovias gown provided by Jennifer’s Bridal in Wilmington, Delaware that our beautiful model Paula is wearing – just perfect and absolutely stunning!

Claudia Seyler of Claudia Seyler Hair and Makeup did the styling, hair and makeup for our bride capturing the essence of her beauty with a gorgeous full bun and natural makeup.

We hope you enjoyed this month’s fantasy celebration as much as we enjoyed creating it!  Stay tuned for our October feature when we bring our creative flair and event design expertise to the Winterthur!

Philly Mag asked Donna (from Beautiful Blooms) and me to open our Liberties Walk studios and boutiques to host the launch of the latest issue of Philadelphia Weddings. So this past Tuesday, we did just that and it was great.   Laura Eaton (Laura Eaton Photography) took these great photos.

The colors for the event were plum and platinum, so with flowers from Beautiful Blooms, we created a dining table in our studio to suit the mood

Donna and I love to host parties at our studios on Liberties Walk where people can mingle inside and out.   It is just such a fun place to have a party!

Leon from All Around Entertainment was absolutely HOT that night.   He and his percussionist were fantastic.  Everyone really enjoyed what they put together for us.

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Here's Donna with a few of our Northern Liberties friends (two of whom are brides-to-be!)

Del Friscos (the awesome Center city restaurant) provided all the delicious appetizers!

So, now for some really fun photos!   We set up a great new take on the always-adored photo booth.  Donna’s teaching space has a great green wall — so with brightly painted frames and super attitudes, the guests gave Laura so much to work with!

Here's Randi at Philly mag

And saving the best for last, these final photos weren’t taken by Laura.  Laura and her wonderful husband and business partner, Paul Eaton, are the subject of these absolutely adorable photos.

We are really excited to be part of this great new adventure with a team of truly talented and super-fun people.    On October 8th, we’re going to be helping to create a “progressive cocktail party” here in our neck of the woods.   Take a look at this invitation (thank you Alyssa!) to find out the particulars.  I PROMISE you that if you come to this amazing thing, you will be so glad you did!

RSVP quickly –this event is wildly popular!

Welcome to Laura & Zach’s wedding.  

Laura & Zach are a sweet, kind-hearted couple whose wedding reflected the natural tenderness of this great couple’s relationship. The deep affection these two have for one another was the true centerpiece of this wedding.  It couldn’t help but bring us all back to what this whole wedding thing is really all about!  The ceremony took place at the Arch Street Meeting House (where Quakers have been meeting since 1696), followed by a celebratory reception at the F.U.E.L. House.   

Enjoy these photographs taken by Laura Eaton Photography.  There are so many really great photographs that I thought we should do this wedding in two posts. Laura and Paul are not only a great team of photographers, they’re also a pure joy to work with.   Which makes sense, because this loving, low-key bride and groom totally enjoyed every minute they could of the planning process and the wedding. What a delight it was to work with them!

After getting ready at the Omni (gotta LOVE Laura’s purple shoes and Zach’s Grateful Dead cufflinks!) and a romantic rendezvous in front of Carpenter’s Hall, Laura and Zach made their way to the Arch Street Meeting House for their lovely, heart-warming ceremony.   

Beautiful Blooms created a gorgeous chuppah which made beautiful use of the topper made by Laura & Zach’s friend.    Oh and see the great use of succulents in the boutonniere and bouquets!   LOVE THEM!  

It’s time to stop writing and let all the great photos do all the talking!

Laura & Zach Part 2 will be all about the great party at the F.U.E.L. House!

Our warm and luxurious August Color Story embodies the end of summer and transitions beautifully into the feeling of autumn with its warm, inviting colors created out of hues of orange, red and yellow.  You can just the feel the magic in the air with this fantasy celebration! 

The venue for this month’s fantasy party was the elegant Elkins Estate, an amazing grand mansion just a few minutes outside of Philadelphia sitting on 42 acres of graceful rolling hills among beautiful ponds and a tranquil retreat center.  Our friend and photographer Marie Labbancz worked her magic once again behind the camera to bring you these amazing and stunning shots!

One of the most unusual things about Elkins is the fact that you can actually host hundreds of people for a sit-down dinner within the estate itself – a true rarity among the stunning Pennsylvania estates that serve as venues for the areas most beautiful celebrations!

The foundation for this elaborate table design is a wrought iron structure with soft colorful fabric creating soft puddling and hanging birdcages. We’ve been thinking lately that creating a smaller romantic setting for two within the wedding reception would be perfect for a couple’s first dinner together on the evening of their wedding.  And the Elkins Estate was, as you can see, the perfect place to implement this vision!

Rian of Eventions was the master behind the lighting and draping that brought out the magic of the entire design! 

We absolutely love the floral arrangement by Beautiful Blooms created out of a birdcage with a beaded dragon fly accent (from the personal collection of Donna from Beautiful Blooms) and filled with lush Alaskan pink peonies, early season virburnum berry, yellow roses and butterfly asclepius.  

Our couple’s table was decorated with a painted martini glass from Anthropologie,  Michael Weems’ green etched wine glasses, vintage plates and Anthropologie bowls. 

Notice the charming monogrammed votive candle from Eclatante’s Boutique placed at the couple’s placesettings.

And how absolutely fabulous is the bridal gown by designer Kenneth Pool, thanks to Jennifer’s Bridal in Wilmington, Delaware!  Our gorgeous model, Paula, was styled beautifully by Claudia Seyler of Claudia Seyler Hair and Makeup.   Claudia also provided the exquisite jewelry including this perfectly suited dangling drop bracelet and headband.   

As you can see, Claudia is a pure genius at what she does!   She also did a beautiful job of creating the perfect soft, flowing hairstyle and subtle makeup as the perfect look for this month’s story creation.

Our bride carried a beautiful hand tied bouquet of Alaskan pink peonies and early season virburnum berry expertly created by, of course, Beautiful Blooms!

Next up:  our breathtaking September color story of rich deep purple and yellow!

There is only one Style Me Pretty, always full of amazing and inspiration eye-candy.   So we are always flattered when they choose to feature our work.   Given their sense of style, It is no surprise that they loved Barbara & Steven’s extremely romantic wedding.  Check out this wonderful post on Style Me Pretty.