The wedding was held at the Château de Breteuil in the countryside near Paris with an “Arty, decadent, a bit Oscar Wilde and Cecil Beaton with room for natural imperfection” style. The couple held cocktails in the gardens followed by a dinner on the terrace all set at a single long table for three hundred guests. For a girl that dreams about weddings day in and day out, it really doesn’t get any better than this.

The amazing (and by amazing, I mean…incredible, gorgeous, jump-up-and-down beautiful) florals were designed by Stephane Chapell, the event was styled by Kelly D’Halluin and the production executed by Carolyn Englefield. The bride is wearing a couture J. Mendel gown that is honestly giving me heart palpatations.

There are so many fun details to read about over on Veranda’s feature…from descriptions of the perfect flowers to the source behind that unbelievable hairpiece. If you aren’t afraid of doubting every decision you’ve ever made about your own wedding, this is an absolute must read!

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Post tags: Couture, J. Mendel, Paris, Veranda
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

from Laura, Interieurs et Fleurs …

Bonjour!  Celebrating the arrival of spring, we wanted Style Me Pretty readers to be the first to see some of our new images of French bouquets, representing fresh ideas and color trends for 2009.  Every year in mid-February, often coinciding with “Fete de la St. Valentin,” Parisians enjoy a brief reprieve from the gray winter chill and revel in the unmistakable signs of early spring.  The most vivid indicator that spring is on the way is when Parisian fleuristes fling open their doors and haul out buckets of flowers to display on the street  — colorful tulips, anenomes, ranunculas, and mimosa from the south of France — tantalizing passersby to splurge and celebrate the season by purchasing an enchanting French bouquet.  So, with Valentine’s Day just past and a hint of spring in the air, I wanted to share new photos of Parisian inspirations and bouquets, fresh from a mid-winter collaboration with my friend and neighbor, Kate Headley.

Jardin Style (top row, left) ~ Garden-style flowers continue to be the major trend in Paris right now since there is an innate attraction to bouquets that are natural and free-flowing, especially in an urban setting. The trick to getting the French garden style look is to incorporate plenty of foliage and greens, in different shades and textures, to achieve a natural balance with the flowers. This bouquet of mixed hydrangea, viburnum, berries, and ivy in every shade of green is refined, yet rustic — inspired by the secret gardens of Paris – providing a fresh and classic backdrop for any occasion.

Bouquet Orange (top row, right) ~ The vibrant paintings of Paul Cezanne and Marc Chagall provide the inspiration for this bouquet, arranged in a vivid combination of roses, tulips, and orchids, tempered with deep green gardenia foliage. Orange is a perennial favorite color in French fashion and design, appropriately used in flowers at any time of the year.

Bouquet Fuchsia (second row) ~ At dusk, when the upper chapel at Sainte-Chapelle provides an inspired setting for a performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, the light streaming through the richly-hued stained glass windows is exquisite, taking on a soft pink and violet glow. This bouquet of violet carnations, bundled together to give more impact, combined with fuchsia orchids and viburnum berries and finished with a coordinating ribbon wrap, is designed to capture that feeling of pink and violet splendor.

Parisian-Chic Bouquet (above left) ~ This bouquet was inspired by the elegant décor at the Cercle de l’Union Interalliee, a private club located on the fashionable Rue Faubourg Saint-Honore.  In the beautiful and opulent dining room, decorated in lavish layers of exquisite French furnishings, the most striking element is the simple centerpiece:  an aqua blue opaque glass vase holding a single, deep red rose.  The color combination is so fresh and chic and adds a note of unexpected surprise to the regal setting, providing the perfect inspiration for a bouquet of red roses and ivy berries wrapped in French-braided blue ribbon.

Bouquet Végetal (above right) ~ In spring, the neighborhood Parisian farmers’ markets provide endless inspiration, showcasing the bounty of the season in artistic and colorful displays. Vegetables add earthy charm to even the most sophisticated bouquets, and are a wise and thrifty choice in the current economic climate. In this bouquet, kale cabbages are reminiscent of garden roses, and create festive and elegant wedding flowers.

Bouquet Téte a téte (above left) ~ A petite yellow bouquet of mixed jonquils and spring flowers exudes undeniable sweetness and charm.  When it’s wrapped with a frilly moss green ribbon and paired with a paper parasol, the bouquet adopts a witty and jaunty personality, setting the tone for a perfect spring wedding or garden party.  I envision bridesmaids carrying bouquets of mixed yellow jonquils, each wrapped in a different pastel-colored ribbon trim – pink, lavender, green, and cream – and a party featuring French macaroons in corresponding colors from Ladurée.  Magnifique!

Bouquet Féerique (above, right and below, left) ~ From the ancient stone monuments and cobblestone streets to the silvery light at dusk, Paris sparkles in shades of gray. Coincidentally, the color just happens to be a major trend in fashion and design right now. This bouquet, inspired by the French grisaille painting at the Musée de Carnavalet, is ethereal and fairy-like, composed of all-gray flowers and foliage, including silver brunia and eucalyptus with a touch of wintry crystal branches. Wrapped in navy blue satin (below), it has a sophisticated feel, while a pink braided ribbon (above) gives off a delicate, vintage impression.

Bouquet Violette (above, right) ~ Adorable bundles of French violets start making their appearance in the Parisian flower shops and markets this time of year and they are the inspiration for this bouquet. Here, I’ve used deep purple carnations and ivy berries along with purple and teal blue ribbon accents to create a garden-style bouquet that is at once traditional, yet modern.

Wishing you hearts and cupids, champagne and chocolate, and French fleurs and bouquets — a joyeuse fete de la Saint-Valentin.

Photography by Kate Headley.

Interieurs et Fleurs is famous for Laura’s modern yet romantic designs, from the most chic French bouquets to glorious profusions of floral displays. Laura’s website is full of so many more gorgeous examples of her work  … you simply must take a peek!  Thank-you Laura for sharing this glimpse of the fresh beauty of your designs.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: French Inspired, Interieurs et Fleurs, Kate Headley, Paris, Washington DC, Wedding Bouquet, Wedding Color Trends
Post categories: Bouquets, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Flowers

The French approach blends the inherent beauty of flowers, gathered simply from the garden, with the personal vision and passion of the floral artist.  It is this rapport between nature and artist that gives the French bouquet, whether rendered in the haute couture or garden style, a distinctive personality, flair, and emotional impact.  This season, be sure to look for inspiration from the garden and Farmers’ Markets, in historical styles, and from fashion, to create your own masterpieces in the French style.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Interieurs et Fleurs, Paris, Wedding Flowers
Post categories: Centerpieces

Fleur couture. In addition to deriving inspiration from history and nature, French florists are influenced by haute couture fashion, which creates incredible excitement and innovation in their designs. In my strolls through the Parisian fashion district, I noted how the new trends – structured, architectural shapes, strong, primary colors, exquisite hand-detailing (ruffles, layers, pleats), etc. will provide rich inspiration for nouvelle bouquets this season. To create the fleur couture style, use fashion-forward colors in chic monochromatic combinations, incorporate layers of textures (including a variety of natural materials), and add special flourishes and finishing touches (plaid ribbons, tweed wraps, jewel accents) fresh from the fashion runways.

More to come!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bouquets, Interieurs et Fleurs, Paris, Wedding Flowers
Post categories: Bouquets

Marie Antoinette luxe. As enduring style icon and the archetype of luxe, Marie Antoinette reigns as the ultimate taste-maker, and her legacy continues to influence contemporary trends in French fashion, décor, and floral design.  At the Grand Palais, Marie Antoinette’s objets de luxe were celebrated in a special exhibit that generated rave reviews and renewed interest in her vision.  To achieve the look of romantic decadence and sumptuous opulence in your party décor this season, incorporate signature design elements such as boules de plume (feather balls), romantic flowers (Yves Piaget garden roses), and layers of posh fabrics (tulle, silk, taffeta).  Use rich color schemes (French blue and silver, Versailles pink and gold, royal purple and peridot green) to create a sense of unabashed, over-the-top, classic French style.

Thank you so much, Laura, for sharing these incredible ideas…I am kind of in love with the overflowing, completely romantic style of these arrangements. But, I have to say, this next one is actually one of my favorite (along with the very first one that I posted earlier) as purple is just one of those colors that I am nuts about this season. Plus, it’s kind of Martha Stewart meets Abby Larson…Tailored and elegant, with a bit of flair.

Stay tuned to find out what Laura’s doing with bouquets!!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Interieurs et Fleurs, Paris, Wedding Flowers
Post categories: Wedding Flowers

From Laura Dowling of Interieurs et Fleurs…

Bonjour!  I am happy to be back at Style Me Pretty, and am excited to tell you about the latest Parisian trends.  This summer, I travelled to Paris for special classes in French floral design, with an eye towards gathering new ideas for the fall season. Several top designers at L’Ecole des Fleurs and the studio of Pascal Mutel shared their latest tips and techniques for creating cutting-edge floral decor, fresh color palettes, and chic nouvelle designs.  The results were magnifique!  We made lush, garden-style bouquets with tumbling vines and branches, adorable country-style bouquets that incorporated fruits and vegetables from the French markets, and haute couture arrangements that were based on colors and trends from the Parisian fashion runways.  Here are all the details, including new ways for you to use romantic French flower trends in your own wedding and event décor now and in the upcoming seasons…

Bouquet végetal. Fruits and vegetables, always a key ingredient in the French bouquet, are especially au courant this season. At Catherine Muller’s design studio, we added a sprig of plaintain bananas, a single courgette (zucchini), and a ripe plum to a romantic bouquet of blue and purple hydrangea and pink garden roses.  Other ideas include surrounding a vase of elegant white lilies with fresh green beans and using large orange carrots to form the base of a striking bouquet of fuchsia phaleonopsis and pink mokara orchids.  Fruits and vegetables add color and substance to floral arrangements, making the “bouquet végetal” not only trés jolie, but cost-effective, too!

So much more to come!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | Comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: event floral design, Interieurs et Fleurs, Laura Dowling, Paris, Wedding Flowers
Post categories: Wedding Flowers