Be it a ballroom bash, a fresh-air fête, or an intimate affair, here’s how to put together an unforgettable celebration — and make it your own.
By: Debra WittAn Intimate Soirée
Photo Credit: Martin Diegelman
Celebrations that take place in favorite restaurants or private homes present unique decorative opportunities. “Think about why you chose to have your wedding at such a special place and incorporate that into your big day,” says Antonia Christianson, of Antonia Christianson Events in Virginia Beach, VA. Here, some guidelines.
• Bring in personal touches. For home weddings, Christianson encourages couples to use favorite pieces of furniture outside “to play up the hominess.” For example, a credenza can become the backdrop of your bar, or a great hand-me-down pie cabinet can serve as your cake and dessert display. Similar things can happen at a restaurant. Bring some of your favorite photos or artwork, mementoes, even your grandmother’s china to decorate tables.
Photo Credit: Alicia King
• Focus on small details. When one of Erich and Tatiana’s couples chose a small NYC restaurant that “screamed antique” for their wedding, the duo encouraged them to play off that vibe. They gathered milk-glass jars to hold the flowers and placed the centerpieces atop vintage mirrors.
Photo Credit: Alicia King
For place cards, they painted miniature pig figurines (a nod to the groom, a chef known for his pork dishes) brushed gold to ft the antique theme. Pillar candles filled an unused fireplace and small arrangements of classic books gave the room some added character.
Photo Credit: Alicia King
• Create ambience. Robert Palomo recalls helping a couple pull together a romantic celebration “in a restaurant that was anything but romantic looking!” He started by bringing in sheer curtains to both soften the harsh daylight streaming in from the windows and to redefine the space to better suit the mood the couple were after. His next oh-so-simple trick was to make good use of candlelight. He dimmed the restaurant’s own lighting and filled the tables with glass cylinders that housed floating candles. “They key to any wedding is to use the space creatively,” says Guérard. “Themes aren’t really necessary, but basing your decorating style on your own personality is. Do that and you’ll have a wedding guests will definitely remember.”
Photo Credit: Alicia King
