Naturally in Love

Naturally in Love Design & Text - Memorable Celebrations www.memorablecelebrationsandevents.com

Photography - Alison Conklin Photography www.alisonconklin.com

Just about every bride aspires to have a memorable and

unique event. This can be hard to do, especially without blowing the budget. One of the biggest obstacles in making a memorable event is having the vision and finding a way to tie it all together. One way to make a design work is to break it down and focus on the details.

Once you pick out a design or theme that you want to use then find a starting point to make the vision a reality. For example when using nature as an inspiration, start with the location then work your way through the details.

Location, Location, Location The location is a key element that sets the tone for the whole event. In this case, an outdoor location is perfect to set the mood. Most people have a local park available for rent for an event. After picking a pristine location, picnic tables can be set up to complete the lay out and tie in the design.

The table design

This table design utilizes many elements from nature and has a great outdoor, rustic style. By taking preserved caspia and placing it in mason jars, the standard fresh flowers can be replaced with a unique alternative. Then taking branches with faux bird’s nests in them were then placed around on either side of the jars. From here natural quail eggs were placed in the nests. These add a tough of color and authenticity to the design.

Another element that can be used to accent the design would be the charger plates. Instead of using traditional charger plates, large slate tiles were used here. The tiles are great because they come in a variety of colors and patterns and can be obtained relatively inexpensively at your local home improvements store. Depending on your style choice, these tiles can cost less then the average cost to rent a charger plate.

One final element that was used here to help add to the style and uniqueness of the design is the use of mason jars instead of glassware. This is reminiscent of a simpler time when people often used mason jars to drink. These too can be found very inexpensively both online and at many craft stores. They make great glasses and look the part for the design.

The stationary

In place of practical stationary, there are a few DIY ideas that can be done to not only fit in with nature, but can also help conserve nature by offering a green alternative to the use of paper and paper products.

In place of menu cards, the use of cotton sachets can accomplish the same goal. In order to make this easy and stylish menu card, all you need is some cotton fabric, either some heat’n bond seam mender or thread, a fine point sharpie marker, and some bird seed. The first step is to cut two equal size pieces of fabric. Allow a half an each on each side, as well as the top and bottom to allow for the seams to be bonded. Iron both pieces of fabric folding over a half an inch on each side and the top and bottom. Next, cut 3 lengths of heat’n bond and secure three sides of the sachet, leaving the top open. Alternatively, you can sew the three sides depending on your skill level. Now take the fine point sharpie marker and write the menu on one side of the sachet. Once this is done you can fill the sachet with just about any filler one might desire. Potpourri, birdseed, or lavender are all just a few examples. In this case birdseed was used. Once the sachet is filled, seal the top with the heat’n bond or standard sewing and your menu card is now ready to go.

The other piece of stationary that can be easily and affordably replaced is the place cards. For this design, all you need are large river rocks and a sharpie marker. Ensure each rock is clean. Take each large river rock and write the names of the guests on them with the marker. With that one easy step, the place cards are done.