French Provincial Charm

My favourite of all styles in weddings and interior design is by far the French Provinical look. I love the take Australia has on it, so fresh and clean. Home Beautiful magazine did a stunning story on it for their December issue, and as I poured over the pages, immersed in all those neutral coloured images of linens and worn wood, I thought to myself what a wonderful wedding this would make. In particular the table settings would be divine, with linen napkins and chair covers tied down the side with ribbons and chunky ceramic plates with curvy lines and quirky touches. You could mix this look with lots of vintage pieces for a more ornate look. Also have a look at yesterdays post on Lavender to see some more ideas suitable for a french provincial theme. More to come soon on this look including venues (lavender farms!) and DIY as well as a Wedding Pattern so you can source decor items and suitable style elements.

COLOUR WHEEL

INSPIRATION

(Image Credits: Elizabeth Messina and Thayer Allison Gowdy.)

Nautical Wedding Theme

Here is another inspiration board for a nautical wedding theme, from the sadly no longer Faye & Greer blogspot, love the cupcakes with the little flags and the favour bags. The use of yellows and lemons with the navy is also a crisp colour combination bringing a little sunshine into otherwise what could be a rather austere colour scheme.

Nautical Themed Wedding in Gibraltar

Napkin & Flowers Brides.com Wedding Yacht Toast & Tables Dress Oscar de la Renta

Bouquet & Table Setting Fresh Picked Weddings Boat Favours Reviva Weddings Cake & Flags Brides.com

The first Gibraltar Boat Show will take place in the New Marina and Leisure Island of Ocean Village on the 9th to the 12th April. We are very excited to be involved as the organisers search for a bride and groom prepared to have their wedding on one of the yachts. Here we have put together a nautical wedding theme ready for the big day. I have had such fun with this theme as there is so much you can do with the preppy blues, whites and reds. Flags, ropes, starfish the list is endless!

Lovely Lavender

Lavender has long been associated with luck and was once thought to be a powerful aphrodisiac. Today it is known for it's relaxing properties. It is a herb, but why not use lavender flowers in your wedding if only for their beautiful colour and relaxing scent? It can be used for anything, from the bridal or bridesmaids bouquets to favours. You could even use it in the desserts, a lavender infused custard is actually quite delicious. I've included a recipe for it below. Alternatively you could use sugared lavender heads as decoration (would suit an all white dessert perfectly).

(Image Credits: First: Southern Weddings; All others: Lisa Vorce by Elisabeth Messina.)

***

Lavender Infused Custard Recipe


Both the leaves and flowers of this plant can be used in moderation in your culinary creations. Place the lavender in a tea ball to make it easy to remove after it has been infused in the milk.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons lavender flowers
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
½ cup granulated sugar
5 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Place the lavender flowers and milk into a small sauce pan.
Place the pan on the stove and simmer over medium low heat for 30 minutes.
Strain out and discard the lavender.
In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water then whisk into the pan of lavender infused milk.
Whisk in the sugar until it is thoroughly dissolved.
Turn the heat down to low and whisk the egg yolks in one at a time.
Slowly turn the heat up to medium while whisking continuously.
Cook for approximately 5 minutes until the custard begins to boil and has thickened.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
Pour the custard into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it cool in the refrigerator until well chilled.
Garnish with fresh lavender flowers before serving if desired.



(Recipe courtesy of Pies, Cookies and Squares.)

Vision Of The Week

This weeks (double) vision comes to us courtesy of

Natasja Kremers of NK Photography. For more information visit her website.

Imbue Weddings is an avid supporter of the Fred Hollows Foundation, giving back the gift of sight. To make a donation please click here.

(Image Credit: NK Photography.)

2009 Colour Series - Spotlight on Turquoise 3

This weeks feature on turquoise weddings ...

Bridal Party

(Image Credits: Project Wedding; The Knot ; Aaron Delesie Photographer; Project Wedding.)

more handmade wedding dresses under $500

{each photo links to its shop}

[see also my first post on wedding dresses under $500.]

edholm ullenius

Edholm Ullenius are two graphic designers and illustrators (Sissi Edholm & Lisa Ullenius) based in Stockholm Sweden. They have been working together since they met at Beckman's College of Design in 2002. Their clients include, Absolut Vodka, IKEA and British fashion designer, Paul Smith, to name a few. In North America, we'd probably recognize their textile pieces they have designed for IKEA . We recently touched base with them where they shared their collaboration with Paul Smith (see dress image). It's a collection of clothes and accessories where they have made the illustrations. The clothes will be sold exclusively for the Japan market and will be launched in the shops in the beginning of February. We love the subtleties in their street art, the bark and mushroom stickers along with the rabbits placed on street walls to find the way to their office. Click here to see their portfolio.

New Hand-crafted Cups from Hidetoshi Takahashi

Love the organic look of this new collection, the Cara and Kami Series from Merchant No. 4. Hand-crafted in Asahikawa, Japan by Hidetoshi Takahashi and designed by Rina Ono, they are made from Japanese Linden wood with a food-safe polyurethane coating inside. They come in three sized cups (tea, milk and an egg cup).

Merchant No. 4.

custom calligraphy press stamp

These are so sweet. I think I'm going to order one of these myself. Custom made stamps using calligraphy by Emilie Friday. Room for your name and one line underneath it. Comes in red, black, blue or green.

emililies.etsy.com

Goodbye Wish

Another one. We were reminded with word of Domino Magazine closing this week, and although this wasn't a total shelter magazine, Wish (a Canadian magazine) had a home section and it too now joins the magazine death pool.

have to have!

In Maxwell's newsletter today from Apartment Therapy he listed his Top Picks from the Gift Fair. One of the picks was Jonathan Adler's Shelter Island Collection in Wicker. And we just have to tell the world, we "have to have" that floor lamp! {Images from apartmenttherapy.com}.

jonathanadler.com
apartmenttherapy.com

be mine

Keys to one's heart, ceramic hearts, tags and cards. It's a gathering of all things love, things that say, "be mine".

Let me count the ways (handful of hearts) by raedunn.etsy.com
Hand painted blok by rpotterdesigns.etsy.com
Love cloud plush from forestprints.com
Tin heart pendant by littleblackrabbit.etsy.com
Arrow tags from www.thepetitepress.com



Heart necklace by secondsister.etsy.com
Paper lace tags from digitalpaperie.etsy.com
Love is... card from storybymia.etsy.com
Necklaces by bluevalentinepress.etsy.com
Wood veneer tags by perchpapiers.etsy.com




Porcelain keys from kleinreid.com
Love doves and tags from CircaCeramics.etsy.com
Ceramic heart from artesprit.etsy.com
Tags from Sunshine and Ravioli
Screenprinted notecards by cutiepiecompany.etsy.com
Fill-in-the-blanks Valentine card from elisejoy.etsy.com

One Day Warehouse Sale @Nantaka Joy!

Nantaka Joy is having a Warehouse Sale today (one day only)!! The sale is on cards and notebooks only form 12am - 11:59pm, Thursday, January 29th! Read the "news" section for more details and to see coupon code valid for one day only. Click here to see.

Boudoir Inspired Reception Rooms

Imagine an exotic wedding where swathes of silk fabric drape from the ceiling and guests can lounge on huge divans with comfy pillows. Waiters walk around with silver trays laden with exotic canapes and delicious cocktails. Guests can chatter away in the comfort of their own private little area, whilst the candlelight casts shadows through thin veils of fabric. No tables, no buffet, just an elegant cocktail reception where you and your guests are treated like royalty.

It's a fantastic idea to have this kind of styled reception for morrocan themed weddings but it works just as well in a more minimalistic setting.

(Image Credits: Both The Knot.)

englishdept: more pdx dream gear

{ antique ivory silk taffeta ruffle bolero }

ohhh. yes please. until etsy, i never knew i was such a secret girly-girl. (not-so-secret now! wedding blog, natch.)

englishdept is the etsy shop of elizabeth dye, owner/designer of real life brick-and-mortar store the english dept. in portland oregon. the bolero above is handmade and can be ordered in custom sizes, and her other few pieces on etsy are sublime.

was going to end there, but seriously: the one-of-a-kind ivory beaded cashmere bridal shrug below, fashioned from a vintage sweater, is an amazing winter piece.



go now, and compliment this woman!
more at englishdept.etsy.com