"Emma" Inspired Idea IV - Gorgeous Receptions

I found these stunning photos of a beautiful reception styling on Brides and thought this is the perfect idea for an indoor reception straight from the regency period. Tailored chair covers in french striped ticking, flower kissing balls with strands of ribbon and an arch way of flowers and muslin drapes create a divine and romantic wedding reception.

(Image Credits: Brides.)

"Emma" Inspired Idea III - Wildflowers

The final chapter...

Brides in Jane Austen times often carried small posies of flowers made up of flowers and herbs. Veils were not so popular and so caps, hats or wreaths and flowers were worn. Flowers had meanings though not so much as they did in Victorian times. Herbs were used quite a lot for luck, especially rosemary.

This gorgeous bouquet is made with tendrils of Passion vine trail, iceberg garden roses, Eucharist lilies, Bouvardia and mint.

An arrangement of agastache and dusty miller with Spanish lavender and flowering oregano.

A head wreath of rosemary and olive leaf.

Jasmine, sweet peas, crab apple, eucalyptus, with an unexpected touch to the bouquet: blackberries.

(Image Credits: Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma; all others Brides.)

"Emma" Inspired Idea II - The Picnic Wedding

A picnic wedding is so reminiscent of the Regency era, when picking strawberries and having tea and cake under a silk tent in the quaint english countryside, were the best ways to pass a lazy sunday

Today the picnic wedding is a very affordable way to have a unique and beautifully styled reception. Imagine a garden ceremony, exchanging vows under a fig tree centuries old, strung with silk ribbons and bunting in vintage fabrics. Afterwards your guests are escorted down a perfectly manicured slope of lawn, to an area set up with picnic rugs and little silk tents open on all four sides under which nestle little tables set with high tea. Waiters in pristine white stroll around with mini sandwhiches, lemonade (with a splash of Pimms for the adults) and fresh strawberries. Just aside from the picnic area, games like croquet and boules are set up for your guests to have a play at.

Of course all this would be the most expensive set up you could imagine for a picnic wedding, thought it still would find you coming under budget compared to most other options. You could always downsize the idea and save a bundle!

****

Pimms Recipe

Take one slice of orange, lemon, apple, cucumber and add one sprig of mint to a glass with lots of ice. Then add two parts lemonade to one part Pimms.

I also found a fantastic little company here on the Gold Coast which specialises in tea parties and high teas for bridal showers and weddings. They actually have a very cute pamper package complete with make up artist, hair stylist and high tea! They are Tickle Pink Tea Parties. Click {this link} to visit their website.

(Image Credit: A Practical Wedding; Zig Zag Bunting x 2; Vintage Touch; Lisa Vorce; DasHusland.)

"Emma" Inspired Idea I - The Gown

Oscar De La Renta

The movie titled Emma starring Gwyneth Paltrow from the classic novel by Jane Austen is filled with gorgeous imagery. It's a perfect example of the dress from that era. Today, designers have embraced the empire silhouette but with a modern twist. Here are the recent collections and this seasons runway picks from Australian and International designers which have that "Emma" touch.

Clarissa Grace

Oscar De La Renta

Monique Lhullier

Vera Wang

The featured gowns are off the runway and so as yet may not be available to purchase.

"Great Expectations" Inspired Idea III - Overgrown Embellishments

The Final Chapter...

In the book everything in Miss Havishams grand manor is overgrown and earthy. Translating this into a wedding style for accents in the reception and ceremony locations means neat and tidy ornaments decorated with twistings of dogwood, swirls of bramble vines and clumps of moss. Flax leaves can be used as ribbons and hydrangeas as lace.



Concept No.1
An tree made of dogwood and vibernum in an urn creates the perfect place for escort cards. The table is clumped with moss and earthy green hued flowers.


Concept No.2
Turkish style lanterns in silk are edged with flax leaf and hydrangeas.


Concept No.3

A classic candlestick is wrapped with lily grass and amaranthus.

This ends our "Great Expectations" series. Next in line... "Emma" by Jane Austen.

(Image Credits: all Brides.)

"Great Expectations" Inspired Idea II - The Gown

The beautiful couture gowns of Karen Willis Holmes capture the essence of the book perfectly. To me the styling of the photo shoot is like the overgrown gardens of Miss Havishams mansion and the mist makes me think of the moors. The stunning gowns and model capture the essence of the unattainable Estella. For see more of the range go to Karen Willis Holmes. Bridal Art is Queenslands stockist of Karen Willis Holmes.


(Image Credits; Karenwillisholmes.com.au).

"Great Expectations" Inspired Idea I - The Dessert Table

I for one do not have much of a sweet tooth. I tend to crave salty things which I think might be due to a very energetic thyroid gland ... but I'm getting off track here. Regardless of my "salt" tooth, the beauty of a well made dessert cannot be raved about enough. I'm not much of a baker but you'll still be able to find me pouring over a Donna Hay magazine. So what better way to display these lovely goodies than all together on a Dessert Table. It's an ideal idea if you are having a cocktail party or a smaller wedding cake that won't possibly feed your 100 plus guests. A really talented caterer is vital here and you may need a stylist for the actual table display. For those of you who have the knack for DIY, see below for some very fabulous visual feasts! The image above is of a table with definate "Great Expectations" inspiration. Keep an eye out for more elements of inspired ideas from the book and the final post in the series where everything will be tied together in a style file.

Bowls and vases of hard lollies and candies fill a table where guests are encouraged to fill little paper bags just like a candy store!

An autumn harvest of pies with all types of fillings imaginable as well as fresh apples. The little signs in the pies are the perfect detailed touch.

An array of mini wedding cakes all in yellows and oranges on high cake stands create a quirky kind of display.

(Image Credits: from top to bottom; projectwedding.com; projectwedding.com; theknot.com; instyle.com.)

Taking a leaf from their book...

I find that along with many, many other sources of inspiration I am led more and more down paths of beauty and innovation by the books I read. Among these are classics such as Jane Eyre and Great Expectations. The imagery these masters of the written word convey fill my head with so many beautiful things and I just can't help but translate these into designs for weddings. So this is an introduction of a series of posts to start very soon of all the wonderful things you can create for your wedding inspired by the greatest works of literature. The first series will be from Great Expectations which I read again for the umpteenth time (I've certainly lost count) just recently. If you can get hold of it, watch the movie by the same title with Gwyenth Paltrow and Ethan Hawke. The modern representation of the book in this movie is so sublime, it gives me a burst of creative energy everytime I see it. So look out for these future posts. I hope you enjoy them... :)

(Image Credit: typepad.com)