Midnight in the Garden – Styling for The Knot Winter 2014
October 16, 2014
Be sure to pick up the latest national issue of The Knot Magazine (Winter 2014) to see our 5 pg. spread “Midnight in the Garden” color story. We had so much fun traveling to NYC to create and style this for our friends over at The Knot! The shoot features rich and luscious jewel and berry tones – special thanks to David Beahm Design for the gorgeous florals. See below for more details on our inspiration and the rest of those who helped make the shoot a success!
A big thank you to the following team:
David Beahm Design – flowers
Luxe Event Rentals – furniture (chairs, table, etc.)
BBJ – chargers, dessert plates
Classic Party Rental – glasses
La Tavola Linen – runners, napkins
Placecard Calligraphy on Glasses – Papersoul
Invitation, Day of Paper pieces and calligraphy – Paperfinger
Favors – St. Germain
Crepe Cake + tarts – Lael Cakes
Strawberry Milk Events & Styling – Concept, Design & Styling (also provided clock backdrop)
Julie was also featured in the “Contributors” section of the issue!
What was your favorite element of the shoot?
I think how all of the elements played off of one another from the table setting to the floral centerpieces, from the paper goods to the backdrop to achieve an overall mood. The gold in the giant clock really pops of the dried boxwood backdrop and ties in the gold and more glamorous/edgy elements from the table, while maintaining at the same an organic feeling of a really nice dinner party thrown together in your backyard/garden. Everything on the table is glamorous and elegant yet achievable – the centerpieces are beautiful but not over the top, mixing lovely fresh picked blooms with blackberries, etc. The stationary is lovely and hand-made instead of printed, and the fresh fruit tarts are a lovely part of the table setting, while also simple. It’s like the marriage between a really lovely and intimate dinner party and a wedding.
For you, what brought the garden feel to life?
The dried boxwood wall as well as the raw wood dining table, use of fruit in the centerpieces, etc.
What are some tips for mixing pattern and color?
Make sure it’s well-balanced, for this look we incorporated pattern in accents and let the vibrant colors steal the show. Whatever patterns used, are also picked up in the details (black and white patterned napkin also ties in the black in the paper details and clock, etc.)
What is your favorite tip for incorporating a color (or two) into a design?
I really like using colors found near each other on the color wheel – in this case I chose purple and red, and then used several different shades of each color to keep it tone on tone. This helps add depth/dimension without it feeling like a colorful circus. Here we used fuchsia, china red, merlot, blackberry and lavender.
What was the inspiration behind the cake?
I wanted something pretty but natural and not overdone. I’m all for traditional wedding cakes, but if you want a different option (and let’s face it, cupcakes, french macarons and pie bars have had their share of the spotlight) – the crepe cake is a great idea! It’s simple, but also has an elegant European feel. This one is topped with fresh fruit which coordinates with the individual tarts at place settings as well as the fresh berries in the centerpieces. I think the crepe cake should be the next big thing.
How did you choose the “signature cocktail” and any tips for couples looking to create one for their wedding?
If your party were a cocktail, what would it look like? I think it’s important to capture the vibe of your event and play tribute to the local surroundings. Sure, you can create a signature drink based on color to tie in your wedding color palette, or simply do “his and hers” favorites…but I prefer to tie in something the local region is known for. For example, for a destination wedding we are doing in Provence, France we’re incorporating fresh lavender sprigs to garnish their spiked lavender lemonade cocktail since Provence is known for it’s rolling fields of lavender. A wedding we just did in the Caribbean served Rum Punch since the area is known for rum. Other ideas…If you’re going Gatsby, perhaps an offering of prohibition era cocktails such as a French 75, Sidecar or Manhattan. If you’re having a southern soiree, a mint julep should do the trick on a hot summer day. For a fall fete in the mountains, a spiked apple cider might hit the spot at cocktail hour, while a S’mores Martini complete with a toasted marshmallow could easily take the place of dessert! And always keep in mind the the season, the location of the wedding and time of day – you want to serve something that sounds good to your guests!
BEHIND THE SCENES – a few [iPhone] snapshots from onset:
The full table setup
Julie and David Beahm
Detail of those luscious florals – we even got to snack on the blackberries! Gotta love edible centerpieces 🙂