Table, chairs, and tabletop accessories, available in California, from Found Vintage Rentals; glassware and flatware, available in California, from Casa de Perrin. Florals: Inviting Occasion; Venue: The Loft on Pine in Long Beach, California
Photo: Joel Eckman Maus/Studio EMP
Pretty Little Things
Nimble Well is a new Chicago company that specializes in uncommon rental items such as vintage cake stands, bowls, and napkins. Coming soon: a line of natural wood pieces, including 10- to 22-inch black walnut rounds and 18-inch shagbark hickory tabletop risers, as well as hand-painted backdrops.
Photo: Lisa Beth Anderson/Spark + Tumble
Mark's Garden's flowers and foliage will lend a living look to tables.
Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash
Pressed Cotton sells gray-washed wooden chalkboard boxes, from $19 each, that can be filled with plants or flowers and used as centerpieces. Have the boxes do double duty by using chalk to write table numbers on the side.
Photo: Courtesy of Pressed Cotton
Also at the Target event, chalkboard menus placed near the bar areas displayed the cocktail hour offerings.
Photo: Nilaya Sabnis
Hand-Fabricated Metal Decor
Enticing Tables designs one-of-a-kind metal event decor pieces in the company’s Southern California workshop. The collection includes uniquely shaped centerpiece and ceremony stands, cupcake and cake stands, and arches and chandeliers, and each item is fabricated by hand.
Photo: Courtesy of Enticing Tables
Mélangerie Inc.’s customized wedding genealogy charts detail the relationship of the wedded couple to their guests with the help of a relationship key. Guests browse the chart during the cocktail hour to learn about their tablemates.
Photo: Courtesy of MĂ©langerie Inc.
Set up inside a rustic New England barn, an escort card tree made with branches, mirrors, and moss held hand-lettered kraft paper envelopes, secured with tiny clothespins.
Photo: Carla Ten Eyck/Courtesy of The White Dress in Color
The event also showcased tabletops from different vendors. Ashland Addison Florist created a hanging table strewn with hundreds of pink and white orchids.
Photo: Carasco Photography
To complement a dramatic branch centerpiece dotted with oranges, wooden napkin rings printed with guests’ names were placed atop mini oranges and topped with fringed white tulip petals.
Photo: Carla Ten Eyck/Courtesy of The White Dress in Color
Train Travel-Inspired Escort Cards
For a wedding at Union Station in Los Angeles, Sterling Engagements displayed escort cards printed to look like train tickets inside vintage suitcases.
Photo: Callaway Gable Photography
The teepee-style tents can hold as many as 400 people.
Photo: Carl Sadd
At Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 presentation, a large cart overflowing with roses and peonies stood near the entrance to the venue. As guests left, they were given small bouquets or single stems as festive gifts.
Photo: Jim Shi
At Glossed & Found's book launch party designed by A Perfect Event, guests took home summer cocktail recipes provided by Grand Marnier.
Photo: Courtesy of Debi Lilly
Branches, moss, and wooden blackbirds resting on each plate created a Gothic-forest vibe in Kara Mann Designs' dining environment.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
At Target's beauty launch, eye-catching citrus-wedge chandeliers decorated the "Rise and Shine" station, evoking sunny mornings and providing Instagram fodder for guests.
Photo: Kim Genevieve
Pink flowers affixed to a wall with washi tape created a feminine backdrop within the Beverly Hills home that served as the event venue. The blossoms were arranged in columns by type, with, for example, calla lilies in one row and ranunculus in another.
Photo: Kim Genevieve
The centerpieces consisted of photos scattered atop raised Lucite platforms, which guests could pick up and look through during the meal. The family-style dinner platters were eventually placed atop the platforms, as well.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
A mix of round and rectangular clear Lucite tables formed the dinner setup in the atrium. The sleek look was matched by clear chargers and ghost chairs; clusters of pillar candles replaced flowers as centerpieces.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
A long hallway became a willow- and maple-lined corridor.
Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
Use unique structural containers to show off a few impactful blooms for a modern, artistic look, like the creation by Blueprint Studios that features butter yellow calla lilies and Billy Ball flowers.
Photo: Michelle Nicole Photography
“A change of season is always inspiring,” says Karen Amit of Among the Wildflowers. "This fall, I’m excited to create with autumn-toned garden roses, hops on a vine, antique lace hydrangea, luscious dahlias, rose hips, echinacea pods, fruiting branches, edible herbs, and fall foliage."
Photos: Robin Prather (Amit), Courtesy of Among the Wildflowers (florals)
In Los Angeles in October, Weight Watchers hosted a dinner offering healthy fare from Katsuya chef Jennie Trinh, which guests ate at a long wooden table accented by pumpkins and fall foliage.
Photo: Tiger Tiger Studio
For the New York Public Library's Library Lions event in 2008, guests passed through archways of autumn leaves en route to the benefit's cocktail space.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash
Chicago Botanic Garden Harvest Ball
On September 20, the Chicago venue hosted its annual fall benefit. Event Creative's decor included leafy chandeliers that nodded to the venue's lush grounds; strings of sparkling lights added a starry, garden-party feel.
Photo: Courtesy of Event Creative
The New York Public Library's Library Lions Gala
The New York Public Library hosted its annual gala on November 3. David Monn handled decor, bringing in tall centerpieces that evoked autumn trees. The tables were set with patterned linens and seasonal tropes such as pumpkins, pears, and fall leaves.
Photo: Julie Stapen Photography
Succulents: Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic
At the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, held at Will Rogers State Park in October, Mille Fiori Floral Design mixed succulents with marigolds in the brand's signature color for some of the arrangements.
Photo: Claire Barrett Photography
Instead of a traditional dark wood bar, the six-foot reclaimed wood version from Designer 8 Event Furniture Rental complements rustic-theme events. The bar, $495, is available in Southern and Northern California and Phoenix.
Photo: Courtesy of Designer 8 Furniture Rental
The gray tabletop decor in one of the dining areas of Phillips Collection's 90th anniversary gala provided a striking contrast to the tall orange and yellow floral arrangements by Jack Lucky Floral Designs.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com
Rustic Glamour
"Sweet, simply styled rustic weddings are in large part what helped put wedding blogs on the map," writes Larson of the popular look, adding that the latest way of approaching the now-iconic style is by juxtaposing homespun elements, such as burlap and farm tables, with opulent details, such as high-end china and gold-rimmed stemware.
Photo: Courtesy of Clarkson Potter/Publishers
Whimsical
"Officially my new favorite breed of wedding is the whimsical wedding," writes Larson. "Whimsy means you can really play with your design and add spunk in the most unexpected places." Case in point: embroidering guests' names onto inexpensive white napkins embellished with colorful pom-poms and grosgrain ribbon.
Photo: Courtesy of Clarkson Potter/Publishers
Black-and-white personal snapshots of the couple’s guests gave the hallway an art gallery-style look.
Photo: Carolyn Curtis/BizBash
Stella Artois "Host Beautifully"
For dinner, guests sat at long, farm-style tables decked with clean white floral arrangements and no linens.
Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Stella Artois
The Savannah Series Tents from Sperry Fabric Architecture are wooden-framed tents with cloth canopies and clerestory windows. The windows, above an adjacent roof, allow sunlight in during the day and indoor lighting to project out at night. The tents seat as many as 350 guests. The units are available for purchase in the United States through Sperry Fabric Architecture and licensed Sperry Tent providers; prices are available upon request.
Photo: Courtesy of Zephyr Tents
Sperry Tents’ Signature Blue Star Tent is handcrafted with genuine navy sailcloth panels dotted with white stars by sailmakers in coastal Massachusetts. It sports geometric support patches and festive pennant flags atop each peak. Support poles are wooden and hand-milled at a 1930s sawmill. The tent is available in six sizes: The largest, at 46 by 85 feet, holds 150 guests for a seated dinner. Prices are available upon request.
Photo: Lauren Methia Photography
Washington-based event designer André Wells planned a baby shower that had an untraditional guest book. Guests could snap Polaroid selfies and leave the images, along with a note, in the book.
Photo: Davide De Pas
Big Sur Wedding
The Sterling team built a framed house with no walls or ceiling along the coast of Big Sur and covered it with trailing greenery.Â
Photo: Courtesy of Sterling Engagements
Tarot Cards
To evoke an otherworldly dimension, Naturally Delicious uses tarot cards at place settings for Day of the Dead dinners.
Photo: Courtesy of Naturally Delicious
In Los Angeles in October 2014, Weight Watchers hosted a dinner featuring a long wooden table accented by pumpkins and fall foliage.
Photo: Tiger Tiger Studio
Matthew David Hopkins of 360 Design Events placed bowls of floating candles atop vegetative green roofing tiles at the 9/11 Memorial benefit.
Photo: Courtesy of 360 Design Events
At Chicago’s Harris Theater gala in June, Bill Heffernan used centerpieces of ferns and freesia as part of the event’s moonlit-forest look.
Photo: Robert Carl
Fox celebrated its fall television lineup with a casino-style event in Los Angeles. YourBash! and Sada's Flowers collaborated on the event's shabby chic look, which included simple arrangements of succulents decorating the tables.
Photo: Sean Twomey/2me Studios
An arrangement in a glass planter was made with four ingredients—Picasso lilies, lavender scabiosa, and Blue Thistle in a curly willow wrap. “I really dig this because you don’t need to be blinded by 100 flowers to make an impression,” Schechter says.
Photo: Courtesy of Interior Foliage
“Having each seat accented with a gorgeous, lush green bundle brings the outside in, even in the coldest of times,” says designer Christina Janda.
Photo: Courtesy of Christine Janda Design & Events
The Be Inspired PR-hosted Tassels and Tastemakers event, held March 2015 in Los Angeles, featured whimsical dream catchers from Found Vintage Rentals.
Photo: Troy Grover
“Gold Metallique” linen from Luxe set a backdrop for a rustic-meets-glamorous look in antique ivory and blush tones at the table known as “Memoirs Of Romance," designed by Charis Events & Design and Avant Garden Events.
Photo: Krista Mason Photography
