Three Elements {Kentucky Horse Farm}

It has been an awfully long time since I've posted an inspiration board and even longer since I've done a Three Elements post (funny, the last time I did such a post, I said the same thing...) This week's Three Elements, as part of Horse Week, were inspired by the beauty of Kentucky horse farms.

The first board is for a more formal and traditional bride with a hint of old-fashioned elegance. A rich palette of colors, including chestnut, emerald green, and soft peony pink, would echo throughout the decor of the day. Mint juleps would be served in their traditional silver cups, and in celebration of a Southern favorite, the wedding cake would be a delicious red velvet.

The second board is a bit more casual and has an upscale, down-home vibe. This bride is a woman who doesn't mind mucking out the stalls for her beloved horses and who draws inspiration in the colors surrounding her in the barn. A warm palette of red, mustard yellow, chestnut, and kraft-paper brown would provide the backdrop for the day, and Southern comforts, such as buttermilk biscuits and bourbon, would fill guests bellies.

The three elements this week are:

and, of course, in the Derby tradition, women in hats!

Mint Juleps & Silver Spoons

Row 1: L to R- Leo Patrone via The Bride's Cafe, Patricia Lyons via Southern Weddings, Martha Stewart Weddings
Row 2: Brides, Gene Burch Photography via VisitFrankfort.com, Johnny Miller Photography
Row3: Isabel Lawrence Photography, Carrie Patterson Weddings, Mary Claire Weddings via Style Me Pretty, Jake McBride of Christian Oth Photography via Style Me Pretty, Beka & Jesse-- Marie Labbancz
Row 4: Brides, Nick Weiler, Amy Squires via Elizabeth Anne Designs

Down-home Derby

Row 1: L to R- Aimee Herring Photography, Gentl & Hyers, Gene Burch Photography via VisitFrankfort.com, Whitebox Weddings
Row 2: Rebekah Westover via Elizabeth Anne Designs, Nick Weiler, Brides
Row 3: Pinch My Salt, Martha Stewart Weddings, romanlily
Row 4: Myrtle and Marjoram via Style Me Pretty, Mikkel Vang

Candy Cane Lane

It has been far too long since I've done a Three Elements post, so I thought today would be a great time to incorporate one as I continue with the red and white streak.

For the first board, I envisioned a bride who runs traditional in her tastes and who loves the romance of winter and the holidays. She would want her wedding at a quaint country inn, from where she and her husband would make a sleigh-ride getaway. She loves the combination of red and white for the holidays, but she especially loves red, a color that speaks to her of romance. She would even indulge in a second dress for her reception, a dramatic red gown that she envisions wearing in the years to come.

In the second inspiration board, this bride loves the holidays equally as much, but she has a more modern sensibility. Her wedding would take place in a white-washed city loft, and she would want her color palette to follow suit; since she loves red and white at the holidays, this bride would incorporate small touches of red into her wedding day, while keeping white as the predominant hue.

The three elements incorporated this week are:

Traditional Holiday Romance

Row 1: Elizabeth Messina via The Bride's Cafe, Gentl & Hyers, Bailey44 via Revolve Clothing, ara133 photography
Row 2: Brides, Carrie Patterson Photography, Rosa Clara
Row 3: J.Crew, Brides, Eden Ink's flickr
Row 4: Martha Stewart, Julia Russell- The Designer's Co-op

Modern Holiday Love

Row 1: Michele M. Waite, Alison Events via The Bride's Cafe, Julie & Adam- Our Labor of Love
Row 2: Elizabeth Messina via The Bride's Cafe, Artfool, Anna Be via Style Me Pretty, Gentl & Hyers
Row 3: Our Labor of Love, Lucas Allen, J.Crew
Row 4: Cannelle et Vanille, Eden Ink's flickr, cotton idea studio

*Had some computer problems yesterday, so this is a bit belated Wedding Wednesday post!

Three Elements {Cal-a-Vie}

Since I didn't post an entry for Wedding Wednesday yesterday, I thought I'd post a Three Elements today.

A few days ago, Joni posted about Cal-a-Vie, a spa in southern California. Looking through the photos, I was struck by how lovely the Chapel was, and I immediately wanted to incorporate it into an inspiration board.

The first inspiration board is lush with shades of yellow, orange, and green and features lemons (and some oranges) in the decor. As I said before, I love fruit incorporated into a wedding!

The second board is more muted than the first and features natural linen accented by chocolate brown and lavender. While I can't say that lavender is my most favorite color, when I saw the agapanthus in the photo of the entry to Cal-a-Vie, I knew that it would be a perfect shade for one board.

The three elements incorporated this week are:

Cal-a-Vie Inspiration Board 1

Row 1: L to R- Cal-a-Vie via Cote de Texas, Adrienne Page via Snippet & Ink, KT Merry Photography via Southern Weddings
Row 2: Fete, Gentl & Hyers, Blue Nalu Photography via Southern Weddings, John Partridge
Row 3: The Paper Pony, Jamie Hammond via Snippet & Ink, Mark Lund
Row 4: Kristi Blunt, Wedding Style Guide, Ariella Chezar, KT Merry Photography via Southern Weddings

Cal-a-Vie Inspiration Board 2

Row 1: L to R- Cal-a-Vie via Cote de Texas, Mark Lund, Our Labor of Love
Row 2: Ashely Garmon, Nicolangela, Marisa Holmes via The Bride's Cafe, Gentl & Hyers
Row 3: Cal-a-Vie via Cote de Texas, Pia Jane Bijkerk, Ashley Garmon
Row 4: A Desert Fete via Once Wed, Ryan Phillips, Sherman Chu via The Bride's Cafe, John Partridge

Three Elements {An Apple A Day}

I always love the incorporation of fruit into a wedding's decor, and fall is a perfect time to put apples to work.

I absolutely loved the table trends that Chelsea Fuss created for Once Wed last week; the arrangements were simply beautiful. The first inspiration board this week incorporates a few of those images. While the first board features a color palette that could work easily in spring and summer, the second board is quite decidedly inspired by fall.

The three elements incorporated in "An Apple A Day" are an orchard setting, apple pie, and the use of apples as part of the decor.

An Apple A Day- Inspiration 1

Row 1: L to R- Once Wed, Anna Kuperberg, Once Wed
Row 2: Tracy Reese via Style.com, Martha Stewart, Brides.com, image via flickr Amarnath
Row 3: Once Wed, Leah C. Couture Millinery, Once Wed
Row 4: Eric Cable via The Knot, tie J.Crew spring 08, Jose Villa via Brides.com, image via Odeo.com

An Apple A Day- Inspiration 2

Row 1: L to R- Image via flickr valkyrieh116, Once Wed, Seaport Flowers
Row 2: Image via flickr SchultzLabs, Brides.com, hard cider via flickr Beer Planet, Brides.com
Row 3: Tamalyn Lee Photography via Brides.com, Goen South via The Knot, image via flickr micmare0499
Row 4: Stephanie James Couture blog, Anna Kuperberg, Photogen Inc.

Three Elements {One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, Three...}

Today's Wedding Wednesday features "Three Elements" for two Mississippi-inspired weddings.

Instead of using the same three images in both boards, as was seen in the first "Three Elements" post, these inspiration boards feature their own interpretations of three elements- catfish, cotton, and a nod to Southern Writers.

Cotton Queen

Row 1: L to R- Leanne & Trey's Wedding- Whitebox Weddings, Cotton- flickr user ONE/MILLION
Row 2: Menu Card- Christine Farah via The Bride's Cafe, Flowers and Lanterns photos- MarthaStewart.com
Row 3: Garden Chair- Shari Bare Photography, Hawthorne Plantation- flickr user Victor Dvorak, Books photo- Etsy shop Monika Elena Photography
Row 4: Drink- Elizabeth Messina via The Bride's Cafe, Magnolia Bloom- Wikimedia Commons, Fried Catfish- coffee.net

Southern-Fried Soul

Row 1: L to R- Taylor Grocery- flickr user amycox000, Drinks- MarthaStewart.com, Book- Jessica Johnson Photography via Brides.com
Row 2: Lena & Joshua's Wedding- MarthaStewart.com, Cotton- flickr user ONE/MILLION, Fried Catfish- myrecipes.com
Row 3: Ground Zero Blues Club- flickr user TeleGtrGirl, Banana Creme Pie- Epicurious.com, Blues Musician- flickr user wicked_chasiti
Row 4: Bouquet- Brides.com, Typewriter- MarthaStewart.com, Kristen & Sean's Wedding- Next Exit Photography via Elizabeth Anne Designs

Three Elements

When one of my best friends from home, Abby, became engaged this past spring, I, of course, couldn't wait to hear about her planning; I LOVE talking about weddings! I may have driven her crazy with my questions trying to establish the look and feel she wanted for her wedding, and, I decided sending her some inspiration boards might help clarify for me, and perhaps her, what she hoped to see.

Abby was unsure if she wanted something traditional or a little more whimsical. She thought she might like a color scheme of black and white with either a combination of bright summer colors (magenta, orange, lime, etc.) or one specific color.

Original Color Considerations
all colors from COLOURlovers

Colors here, here, here, here, and here

We started with three inspiration boards, and, after viewing them, Abby decided a combination of all three spoke to what she wanted. Abby, then, selected a country club as the venue for her reception and wondered if she should still use bright, bold colors or just a pink that was softer in hue.

We established that she wanted to find a way to carry black onto the tables other than through the linens. She also thought she'd like to include a monogram throughout the wedding and possibly wanted to use a black and white stripe envelope lining.

Two more inspiration boards followed based on those changes to her visions for the day. I chose three elements that met the criteria she thought she wanted and showed how they could work in two very different feeling weddings.

The three images below are those three elements.

Utilizing Black Containers- Escort Card Display
Wedding: Sabrina and Conrad; photo: Laura Novak via Brides.com

Thin Black and White Stripe for Envelope Liner
Image from here

Inspiration for Incorporating Monogram
Save the date from Wedding Paper Divas

The first board incorporates a slightly softer look with black, white and pink. It is an updated take on a traditional country club wedding.

Country Club Modern

First row: L to R- La Sposa gown- Brides.com, Anemone bouquet- marthastewart.com, Champagne-freedigitalphotos.net, black and white stripe- fabricsandpapers.com

Second Row: Save the Date- Wedding Paper Divas, Reception-Wedding of Stacey & Kyle- Photo: Marisu Wehrenberg via Brides.com, Max & Cleo Dress- Nordstrom.com, Goat Cheese Collection- Williams-Sonoma

Third Row: Photo- Brooke Schwab Photography blog, flower girl- Stella Alesi Photography, Boutonniere photo- Jennifer Skog Photography blog, bouquet: Ariella Chezar Design via Brides.com

Fourth Row: Escort Card Display- Wedding of Sabrina & Conrad- Photo: Laura Novak via Brides.com, Wedding of Maggie & Jeff- Photo: Anna Kuperberg's Kuperblog, Black and White Cookie via OaklandMagazine.com

The second board includes the bright summer colors that Abby was drawn to originally. It features the same starting three elements as found in the board above.

Black and Bright

First Row: L to R- Centerpiece- Wedding of Namrita & Roman- Photo: Elizabeth Messina via The Bride's Cafe, Diane von Furstenberg Dress from Nordstrom.com June 2008, Buckwheat Belinis- Epicurious.com, black and white stripe- fabricsandpapers.com

Second Row: Save the Date- Wedding Paper Divas, Bouquet- Wedding of Sarah & Sean- Flowers: Yvonne Floral Design & Photo: Stefanie Riedel of Absolutely Loved via The Bride's Cafe, Matchbox Ring Shot- Wedding of Kathy & Mark- Photo: Our Labor of Love blog

Third Row: Centerpiece photo- Stella Alesi Photography via The Knot, Peaches Melba- Epicurious.com, Escort Card Display- Wedding of Sabrina & Conrad- Photo: Laura Novak via Bride's.com
Fourth Row: Pronovias gown- Brides.com, Shoes- Wedding of Sarah & J.W. via Our Labor of Love blog, Laduree Macaroons via Southern Weddings

These two inspiration boards illustrate that you can personalize your wedding to create a feel that is unique to your day, even when starting with the same elements at the beginning.

After looking at these boards, Abby decided she was still inclined to choose the bright colors she'd originally imagined. I know with my wedding, my color choices ended up changing further along in the planning process; as Abby's wedding is this upcoming summer, I'll be excited to see the end result and what evolution may occur in the design plans!