Tuesday’s Tablescape: Drama in Aubergine & Chartreuse

First of all, what is aubergine? It’s French for eggplant, as in the vegetable and color!

Today’s tablescape inspiration is full of DRAMA! I love the use of the vibrant jewel tones and the lighting, lighting, lighting! I know manzanita branch centerpieces have been done to death, but when done right, I still can’t help but love them! Especially here with the fluffy rose pomanders and crystals, nestled in a lush arrangement at the base.

 

And how gorgeous is this venue? Wedding at the Skirball Cultural Center in LA and photographed by Joy Marie Photography

Via Junebug Weddings

Vendor Spotlight: Carnivale Restaurant

Carnivale has been a staple in Chicago dining for quite a while now, but it wasn’t until recently that I found out that they have fabulous private dining areas, and have hosted many a wedding! Their delicious “Nuevo Latino” fare is not your average wedding food, nor is their vibrant and fun decor (perhaps not the right fit for the bride who is hung up on a particular color scheme!).

The main dining room can be bought out for a rather large sum, but it has been done! 

Kardas Photography

 
Vrai Photo

The largest private room is the Samba room, which can fit up to 250 guests! And yes, the chiavari chairs ARE included (I think they are all black though).

 
Kardas Photography  

They also have a number of smaller private dining rooms and salons that are perfect for rehearsal dinners!

Carnivale
702 W. Fulton St.
Chicago, IL 60661
(312) 850-3017

Beautiful Bridesmaids Dresses a la Vera Wang

To be honest, I don’t often have the occasion to look into bridesmaids dresses. This is one of the areas that my clients typically handle with the help of their maids. But recently, my attention was directed towards Vera Wang bridesmaids dresses, and much to my surprise (shock is more like it), they are not as expensive as I always imagined they were!  I always thought they were $300+, so I was pleasantly surprised at some of the price tags in the $200 range (now don’t get me wrong, this is still A LOT for a bridesmaids dress, I’m just saying that my previous impression was that they were considerably higher)

And what I love about their site is that they actually state the price and you can order directly from the website. Easy peasy! It can be so annoying how the majority of bridesmaids manufacturer sites don’t tell you the pricing and you have to visit the nearest retailer, which is not always so “near”. Check out some of these beauties (listed by price, low to high)

Megan, $180 (!!!)

Jamie, $210

Tina, $220 (hello sexy cocktail dress!)

Dee, $230 (I think I’m in love with this one!)

Ashley, $230

Julia, $240 (a dress with pockets always gets my vote!)

Claire, $260 (love the flower detail at the waist!)

What are your favorite bridesmaids lines? I also of course love JCrew (who doesn’t, right?), Ann Taylor, Lela Rose, Watters and W2, Barijay, and Jim Hjelm Occasions… just to name a few!

Tuesday’s Tablescape: Pink, White & Vintage Romance

When I saw this photoshoot collaboration between photographer, Meg Smith and florist, Ariella Chezar at the Olema Inn, I was instantly smitten! Peonies, ranunculous and anemones, three of my absolute favorite flowers combined into one luscious, romantic, truly stunning centerpiece… I can’t help but gush! And at first I almost didn’t notice those black netted leaves, but they add an air of sophistication to the arrangement – like a chic birdcage veil for the centerpiece! 

 
The place setting is simple and vintage-inspired. Those tiny pink tumblers are just too sweet, not to mention the little mushroom charm tied to the napkin. Charming indeed! 

 
More mini mushrooms incorporated into whimsical chair decor (mushrooms… who would think of mushrooms?!)


I also love how the centerpiece translates into a beautiful, soft bouquet…

Yes, I L.O.V.E.!

Via Snippet & Ink

Unique Wedding Registry Ideas

Wedding registries are not all created equal!

First of all, what is its purpose? And who started the now ubiquitous wedding registry? Well, apparently the concept was dreamed up by Chicago’s (now defunct) Marshall Field’s flagship store back in 1924 as a means for the engaged couple to indicate chosen china, silver and crystal patterns to family and friends (source).

Wedding registries have come a LONG way since 1924! There are now so many options for the bride and groom who may not want (or need) the traditional household items. Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting that KitchenAid stand mixer in Martha Stewart Blue, or those shiiiiny All Clad posts and pans… believe me, I went nuts with that scanner thingamajig at Macy’s and Crate & Barrel! By the way, if you need a good checklist of what items to register for, Real Simple has a good one for your reference.

But more and more often as couples get married a little bit older, they may have all the household items they need. So here are some great ideas for untraditional registries:

The Wishpot Registry
This fabulous site lets you add products from anywhere on the web with the easy to install Wishpot Button. You can share items and lists with friends and family and they can reserve items for purchase. Once an item on your list is reserved Wishpot re directs whoever is purchasing the item to the site the item was added from or the site with the most competitive price for the transaction.

Amazon Registry
Yes, you can you register with your favorite online superstore! Anything from flatscreen tvs, Blueray players, DSLR cameras, a Kindle, to books, to anything you can imagine can probably be registered for via Amazon!

Foodie Registry
I just learned about the Foodie Registry not too long ago when I met the founders at a networking event! This is currently still a Chicago-specific site which allows couples to register for gift cards to their favorite Chicago restaurants. Imagine that, date-night every week of your first year of married life at a different restaurant!

I DO Foundation
Charity registries are gaining popularity! This one allows your guests to make secure online donations in support of the organization of your choice as their wedding gift to you.

Honeyfund and  Honeymoon Wishes
Two different companies that allow your guests to contribute towards various honeymoon activities (e.g. airfare, hotel nights, car rentals, golfing, spa treatments, room service, etc.)

Bridal Mortgage Registry
An online bridal registry service for couples wishing to receive monetary wedding contributions that can be applied towards a home down payment.

Upon Our Star
”A wedding registry for wishes, not stuff”. Wishes can be anything – dream kitchen, a piano, artwork for the new home, future education, etc.

{Please note that Sweetchic has not personally tried all of these services! This is for information purposes only, please be sure to read the fine print when you start your registry!}

Venue Spotlight: The Elysian

The other day, I visited Chicago’s newest luxury hotel: The Elysian. This amazing property is probably one of the most elegant and sophisticated hotels I have seen to date. Not flashy or trendy… simply understated elegance.

During my tour, I was told about the many fashion influences that are subtly incorporated into the design and decor; for example, the enormous, sparkly chandelier that greets you as you enter the front door (see below) is inspired by a Chanel brooch.

The Elysian boasts two restaurants, Balsan, for more casual dining:

and Ria, the fine dining establishment:

Oh, and we can’t forget to Spaaaaa:

What I especially love about their event space is that they only host one event per night, so you have the entire fifth floor at your disposal.

The Hemmingway room can be used for cocktails (and is also perfect for smaller weddings or rehearsal dinners)

The Sinclair Ballroom: I adore the gorgeous dove gray walls and white trim, natural light and unique crystal chandeliers! And yes, the chiavari chairs are included, along with the beautiful place settings you see below, which are their “standard”.  Not so standard if you ask me!

The room all dressed up. The room is already so elegant that it hardly needs any help!

Nearly all of their guestrooms are suites, and they are stunning!

{Most images via the Elysian Gallery, others are taken by my camera, as marked}

Capacity for seated dinner: Ideally 100 – 130 (although up to 180 if dancing is moved to the Hemmingway room)
Ceremony space: Yes
Package starting price: $205 (pre-tax & gratuity)
Food & Beverage minimum: $20,000

The Elysian
11 E. Walton St.
Chicago, IL 60611
312-880-4400

Tuesday’s Tablescape

This beautiful orange and chartreuse wedding just oozes vibrant, citrusy charm! The amazing tablescapes feature the use of the rustic wooden boxes, glass cylinders with floating candles, paired with tropical mokara and cymbidum orchids, dahlias and succulents (my favorite!). And notice how they used the green satin linens topped with another orange pintuck linen…something you don’t typically see! You could definitely double up on some table runners in the contrasting color to create the wider, more luxurious look. 

 

Via Inspired by This

Wedding by The Special Day
Photographed by Ira Lippke
Floral by Nisies Enchanted Florists

{Every Tuesday, Sweetchic Events will feature a fabulous tablescape from around the blogosphere for your viewing pleasure!}