Miki and Matt - October, 2009                                             Hildene- Manchester, VT

Brisk late fall temps made transforming the tent a feat in itself.
With the help of warm gold tones, chandeliers and swagging; we
tamed a large tent into cozy wedding for 58 guest.  Candle light
glow, a warm lounge space complete with throws and pillows
framed the dance floor. Real coach lanterns were suspended in the 
“Tavern” giving the tent character and creating movement throughout.
Topping off the night with a maple martini…YUM!    Guest were greeted
with champagne complete with table seating cards found on etsy.  Very cute.

Photography:   Michael Riddell Photography   www.michaelriddell.com   

Allison and Eli- August, 2009                         Equinox Resort- Manchester, Vt

A classic color combination which offers a fresh clean feel.  Not overly fussy,
the crisp green and white hydrangeas dominated the wedding with
touches of delicate heirloom sweet peas and clematis.  Fabulous
apple green candles brought a bit of whimsy to the tables.  A definite
favorite of mine.  Perfect look for the Colonnade room!
The Huppah was breathtaking win green lemon leaves and white clematis vine. 

photography: Natural Expressions Photography  www.naturalexpressions-photo.com

Kathy and Andy - September, 2009                  Equinox Pond Pavillion, Manchester, Vt

With only 5 weeks to plan, Kathy and Andy, both from Los Angeles, contacted me to
help them create an intimate, but elegant destination wedding for them.  Having 
never met the couple until wedding day itself; I had only a few ques to work with:
gold chair ties, sparkle and neutral flowers.   A custom table linen was created
for the main table and with the use of two other linen companies, the look was
captured.  The contrast of the rustic pond pavillion and the crystal chandeliers
was beyond chic. 

photograhy:  Gina Renzi photography    www.ginarenziphotography.com

Sara and Justin- May 2009              Wilburton Inn- Manchester, Vermont 

Long overdue, this wedding was was by far a 2009 favorite. 
The talented chocolatier bride, Sara (owner of Naked Chocolate, Philidelphia) 
blessed me with full creative control.  We created a feeling of vintage romance
with garden roses, heirloom peonies and seasonal lilacs. Mix matched ceramics,
water pitchers and cakestands served as floral containers, giving the feeling of afternoon tea. 
Taupe ribbon linens, hemstitch napkins and gold mercury glass finished the look. 
Dessert was served on vintage mixed matched china.  The birch Huppah was
covered in flowering apple branches and was nestled in a canapy of  Maple trees. 
Lighting in pale pink illuminated the tent peaks and pink rose images were cast
onto the dance floor.   A perfect Vermont afternoon wedding!

Photography:  Brian Post Photography www.brianpostweddings.com     

Pick your pallete {Equestrian Elegance}

Published in Vermont Vows Magazine  Spring/Summer 2009

“For an outdoor wedding imbued with the spirit and style of the polo-club set, crisp red, white, and blue really set the tone. Perfectly proper and utterly relaxed at the same time, this combination lends itself to a reception that’s as visually captivating and as fun as a chukker brilliantly played. Blue and white striped linens give outdoor tables a graphic punch; everything else stays simple—white plates on silver chargers, neatly stitched and buttoned rings around red linen napkins, and clusters of bright red dahlias, roses, and sweet peas in vintage trophies, by Tara Pollio Floral-Event Design.

Antique -silver, in simple shapes and patterns, is an elegant and slightly understated complement to the bold colors. Vivid red currants in a miniature trophy bowl are a fun and -unexpected element at the table. Equestrian-inspired accents, like the leather -buttons on these napkin rings, pull this look together.

An invitation by That’s Inviting is a colorful standout. A soft bouquet of begonias, dahlias, -hydrangea, and hellebores is complemented with a bold navy and -yellow striped ribbon in this arrangement by Tara Pollio Floral-Event Design….”  Fresh picked

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Real Wedding Saturday: Nili & Anthony

Though we’re well into summer, this winter wedding shot by Leigh Miller was too beautiful not to share. Vermont in the winter seemed like the perfect choice for Nili and Anthony’s wedding - the couple fell in love there in that season, Nili loves all things wintry and cold, and it was a good meeting place for their families from New York and Montreal (not to mention, logistically it was near enough to the couple’s home in New York to explore venues and meet with vendors!). I think these photos beautifully capture the rustic elegance that the couple was aiming for…

Nili tells us about the stationery: We used trees as a reoccurring theme throughout the wedding. We felt they represented life and growth and embodied what starting a new chapter together represents. A fir tree with our name was in our wedding logo that we used pretty much on everything we could (the cake, coasters, stir sticks, tote bags, wedding CDs given out as favors, invites, programs, menu cards, etc.) which gave things a more dressy, elegant feel. We printed most of our paper products on sheets of actual walnut wood (love, love walnut and have it everywhere through our house) which gave it the rustic textured look. Cards of Wood and Betsy White helped us design our custom invites, menu cards, programs, RSVP postcards and Thank You cards to keep everything within the theme.

Nili’s green shoes by Christian Louboutin fit in perfectly with the color scheme: chartreuse, moss green, and chocolate brown.

Nili wore a dress by Amsale. Anthony wore a tuxedo and tie by Hugo Boss and shoes by Kenneth Cole.

The quaint village of Woodstock, complete with a covered bridge, was the perfect setting for this winter wedding.

All of the flowers were created by Tara Pollio Floral Event Design.

The ceremony took place at the Murphy Farm in nearby Quechee, Vermont.

Nili purchased her birdcage veil from an Etsy vendor. After the ceremony, but before heading to the reception site, everyone joined in a toast using Prosecco instead of Champagne as a nod to Anthony’s Italian heritage. Before joining their guests, Anthony and Nili took a horse and carriage ride around the town, one of their favorite parts of the day.

For the ceremony, the 80 guests moved on to the Woodstock Inn, which was decorated with tree branches, logs, moss and candles.

Coasters and stir sticks with the couple’s motif were provided by For Your Party. The custom menu tried to use as many Vermont ingredients as possible, including local cheeses and organic produce. Each place setting included a menu printed on walnut wood, as well as a tree sapling favor wrapped in burlap.

Guests were invited to help themselves to a chocolate and green candy buffet.

Each table was named after a different tree, and wrapped centerpieces with birch bark. Nili and Anthony Goccoed the table numbers themselves, along with several other items, including a tote bag for guests. The week before the wedding, Anthony and his best man drove to New Hampshire and chopped off part of an already fallen tree, and used the stump as their cake stand. The cake was carrot cake, with Vermont maple syrup filling and buttercream frosting.

After dinner, the couple enjoyed dancing the night away with all of their guests. But I just had to end with this beautifully sweet photo… Congratulations Nili and Anthony - best wishes to you both! And a big thank you to Leigh Miller for sending over these photos and sharing this wedding with us!

Note from Tara:  So exciting when you can share your work and inspirations with other blogs and brides! I just love how Leigh Miller captured the mood of this event. Truly remarkable!   

Abby and Steven-February 2009           The Mountain Top Inn- Chittenden, VT

Only this amazing couple could pull off a warm winter day after a 2 week long cold spell. 
A picture perfect day.  Abby brought me her one and only inspiration; the cover to
Vermont Vows Magazine Fall/winter 2007.  It just so happened to be my bouquet
featured on the cover!  Spinning off the colors, a wedding was designed in just 6 weeks!
Abby and Steven were looking for a fun destination wedding (hello? Bride Sledding in her gown!)
and the pictures capture that well! Flowers were kept simple and to a minimum as candles and lighting
brought in the warmth.  Enjoy!  Look for this wedding to be an upcoming feature on www.theknot.com! 

Photography:  Michael Riddell Photography - www.michaelriddell.com   
 

When planning your wedding, it should be all about fun!  You are looking to
have your wedding reflect YOU!  It is about having all the components of your
wedding mesh together to form one amazing day!  This includes your food!    
Gail Gras-Morin of Thyme Tables Catering www.thymetables.com makes
your reception not only a mouth watering delight, but also accompanies
your designer (that would be me!) to ensure it is also a polished a feast for the eyes. 
Check Gail out if you are looking for more than a plate of food.  Gail’s creative ever
exploring mind will have you drooling for more!   Trust me I know first hand! Tara

Photo credits:
Barrie Fisher www.bfisherphoto.com
Michael Riddell www.michaelriddell.com
David Seaver www.davidseaver.com

Alexis and JB- October 2008                    Hildene Estate - Manchester, VT

A gorgeous palette of amber, plum and olive make this travel theme wedding one to
remember.   Don’t forget the details Ladies!  They are what makes your wedding stand 
above the rest! Photography by Barrie Fisher  www.bfisherphoto.com