Tracy & Casey's wedding (inspired by Disney)

Let the Magic Begin!

Theme:

Our wonderful clients, Casey and Tracy Dugan came to us with a unique theme in mind for their October 7, 2011 wedding- Disney World! However, not a bold colored theme- park concept-more of an underlying hint of the softer, magical and romantic side of Disney World. The couple was actually engaged at Cinderella’s castle on a family Disney trip! From the start we knew Tracy wanted everything to work together but not in a matching kind of way. No mono-chromatic color scheme here! “I didn’t want people to feel like they are at a wedding, but a place with friends having a good time. Vintage, romance, Disney and family were the themes I wanted tied together,” says Tracy. So we began designing the event in a setting of blush pink, ivory, champagne and pops of peacock blue and marigold.

Ceremony:

The evening began at Hillwood in Davies Plantation, in front of the old Manor house. Guests were greeted by a valet service and then handed custom programs that housed hand-made ribbon wands (made by the bride and her mother) with instructions for them to “wave at the kiss.” The ceremony décor was very natural and included lots of textured plants such as cotton and hay- along with flowers. No two arrangements or bouquets were alike. The Bride’s grand entrance was made to the tune of “When You Wish Upon a Star,” by a White Horse drawn Carriage- one more detail that added perfectly to our theme. And to top it off- it was a total surprise for the groom!

Reception:

Following the ceremony, vintage signs pointed guests towards the cocktail party. Half way there, they were greeted with a signature drink called “Pirates of the Caribbean” complete with sword-skewered fruit. Inspired by the Disney park maps, guests were also handed personal maps (created by Natalie Chang Designs) showcasing the layout and food options at the cocktail party and reception. The Alice in Wonderland inspired “Mad Hatter Cocktail Party” was the perfect beginning to this fun reception. Guests enjoyed the games in the whimsical lit area or could relax on the porch in a setting made of vintage benches and sign the guest book quilt (also created by the Bride and her mother). Long tables dressed in burlap linens with hand-made vintage fabric runners (made by the mother of the bride) were used to make the reception more family-style. Romantic flowers, cotton, succulents, moss displayed in milk glasses, garden boxes, silver vases and other vintage inspired containers were used as centerpieces all designed by Haute Horticulture. Giant fabric rosettes used as chair backs flanked the ends of each setting.

Enhanced lighting set the ambiance for the venue and a special gobo light of the wedding monogram lit the dance floor. That monogram was also used on the game boards for cocktail hour, napkins, invitations, and photo sleeves guest took home with their picture from the event.

Food:

As for food- one of the most important factors in a reception- we opted for stations and each was named after Disney Restaurants or places that were special to the bride’s family. “The Laughing Place Saloon” was scripted on a large vintage mirror along with the bar menu and displayed behind the iron and dark wood bar. Such a fun detail that was custom for this event and the bride could actually use it again in her home after the event since she purchased it with this in mind. The catering was done by Ziparo’s and featured the following stations:

“Mama Melrose”- an interactive pasta station,

“Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn”- a gourmet filet mignon and chicken slider station,

“Tamu Tamu Refreshments”- various fruits and gourmet cheeses and

“Boulangerie Patisserie”- the dessert station included the wedding and grooms cakes by “Oh My Ganache Bakery” and an array of cake balls made by the bride’s friend Gretchen Tayloe. The grooms cake was a replica of the couple riding their favorite roller coaster ride in Magic Kingdom- “Big Thunder Mountain.”

Closing:

At the end of this magical evening as guests got their cars from the valet, a final parting gift was left in their front seat – a small pumpkin with a poem written by the bride that read: "As the clock strikes twelve and the magic ends, Cinderella’s carriage becomes a pumpkin again. What a magical time and it’s all because of you. With love from the Dugans…Bibbiddi Bobbiddi Boo"

What a note to end on! With a wedding full of this many special details- no guest will soon forget how magical the evening truly was. We hope this wedding story inspires you to add special touches to your day and plan it full of memorable details!

Happy Planning!

-The Butterflies

We would like to thank our vendors who helped us to bring the Magic to life!

Wedding gown – Blu by Mori Lee from Ballew Bridal
Bridesmaids dresses– Alfred Sung

Groom/Groomsmen/Ushers/Father of the Bride – suits by Joseph A Banks

Cake Balls – Gretchen Tayloe of Dulcitas Gourmet Treats

Bride hair – Myn Le from Juve Salon (wedding) and Amy Hicks from Capelli’s
Bride and Bridesmaids makeup – Kendrick Simpson from Juve Salon

Ceremony/ reception- Hillwood at Davies Manor, Bartlett TN

Band- Almost Famous

Caterer- Ziparos

Invitations/Paper & signage- Natalie Chang Designs

Photography& Videography- Creation Studios

Cakes- Oh My Ganache Bakery

Rentals- Classic Party Rentals, Mahaffey Tent & Party Rentals, Mosaic Party Linens

Floral design- Haute Horticulture

Summer Glow in the Garden!

We recently had the pleasure of designing a chic outdoor wedding at The Dixon. As much as we LOVE pink (as documented in my past two blog posts), we were excited to work with a client who wanted to mix it up and use orange, brown, green, champagne and copper. The end result was a beautiful glowing wedding in the heart of the Dixon Gardens. Check out the pictures, snapped by Annabella of Asian Bees Photography!

The centerpieces inside varied from low, sprawling clusters of bouquets and candles on clean, champagne satin linens... 

... to intricate, twisted branches reaching towards the ceiling. The branches extend from gorgeous flower wreaths saturated with color. Karin Woodward with Haute Horticulture never ceases to amaze us with her gorgeous floral designs. Check out the orchids winding through the vase! For this alternate table look we added a sheer linen overlay over the classic champagne satin we used on the other look. We had to special order this overlay from Mosaic. The gold chivari chairs set off the elegant feel of the room!

Karin awes again with her creative orchid bubbles floating among her branchy outdoor arrangements. Love!

Here is the arrangement from a distance. Romantically dramatic with the height, yet organically quaint with the moss covered pot! 

A view of the outdoor cigar lounge. Outside we traded the elegant champagne linens and gold chairs for brilliant pops of orange and mahogany brown chairs. I love how the orange looks in contrast to the beautiful green trees in the backdrop. 

Another luxurious, hand-rolled cigar bar! 

Little details in the catering display. These unique upside-down cups of petals elevate the glass platform for the food display. CFY provided their couture catering, fabulous as always! 

Three romantic brass chandeliers hung down the center of the clear-top tent ceiling. The orange fabric swagging draws the eye skyward and creates a lavish frame for the dance floor. 

Here is a closeup! Again, love the orange against the trees!

The whole view of the tent. The band, Party Planet, rocked the house and got the guests dancing in spite  of the Memphis June heat. 

A cocktail table outside with a sneak peek of the orange and white lounge area. 

The orange and white lounge area provided a swanky and comfortable place for guests to chill out by the dance floor. LOVE this leather furniture from Mahaffey Tent and Party Rentals!

Unexpected and fabulous centerpieces for the long tables in the tent. The contrast of the bright flowers and cool moss mirrors the overall scene of the orange decor against the green trees. 

My ABSOLUTE favorite detail- the hand-strung flower chandelier by Haute Horticulture! This hung over the dance floor and was a favorite of the guests. 

Here is a closeup! Absolutely beautiful work by the florist. 

Thanks for reading! As always, we hope you are inspired by our designs. This event was a blast and we are so lucky to have wonderful clients who let us play! Please leave a comment and let us know what you think, and visit www.sb-events.com to see more of our work! 

Eventfully yours- Addie

Miami Chic so swoon worthy, StyleMePretty.com picked it up!

Hello readers! We have been busy busy busy designing fab events this past month- so busy we have slacked on the blogging! But that is ok, because it only means that we get to blog about all of them and give y'all tons of lust worthy wedding ideas. In fact, an engagement party we did this past weekend was so chic that Style Me Pretty decided to cover it! This just goes to show you that Memphis can host events worthy of Miami Beach. Check out the details:

Keeping with the Miami Beach theme, we wanted to keep the party hot and chic with all white decor. However, pops of fuschia were in order to create eye catching details. Check out the ghost chairs (the clear acrylic chairs around the cocktail tables)- we love those right now! They add a lucite luxury to any event.  In this picture you also get a peek at the luxe leather lounge furniture. SOO South Beach!

What engagement celebration is complete without a champagne bar? The crisp and bubbly libation added such a refreshing touch to this southern summer rooftop party.  The fruit skewers added a sweet touch and the rich purple orchids pumped up the drama. 

As usual, Karin Woodward, owner of Haute Horticulture created incredible art with her flower designs. She never does the same thing twice, something we really relate to! These arrangements are definitely worthy of the "Miami Chic" description. Thanks also to Annabella Brandon of Asian Bees for capturing such fantastic images of this event! 

When it came to entertainment for this unique soirée, we had to think grand! That is why we brought up this gorgeous all white grand piano to the Madison Rooftop. The orchid heart ties it all together and makes this piano even more swanky than it was before. 

You can't get more "Miami Chic" than a Cuban cigar bar! Guests enjoyed the open air of the rooftop and celebrated a happy engagement with this luxurious treat. 

White leather lounge furniture and spandex linens on the end tables create an ultra contemporary place to chill out. The sleek lines are sexy and chic and fit right into the feel of the event. Check out the eye catching flowers! 

Speaking of spandex, check out the sleek bistro linens. Spandex is our favorite linen right now, and it hugs these tables beautifully. The white bar stools are a great accent and back up to a dramatic rooftop view! 

Stay tuned for more pictures from what we have been up to lately! As always, please message us or comment with questions about your event!  We are here to help you up the WOW factor! 

Happy planning- eventfully yours, Addie