This summer, Fresh Events worked with Arrowhead Golf Club to create an open house to show off their gorgeous venue to Colorado event professionals. We were thrilled when they asked us to incorporate our products in the tablescapes at the event. Even better, top event photographer and friend, Joe Keum of Studio JK, captured wonderful images of the designs.

During the evening, ominous clouds rolled in and a huge thunderstorm took hold. The event was split between their two reception locations: the clubhouse and the permanent tent they use for events. In the words of Suzanne Barlow, owner of Masterful Musicians, “Splendor to rescue… AGAIN..Thank you for supplying the means by which to travel with style at Arrowhead Golf Club…you saved us all from looking like drenched kittens!” We were so glad we could help.

Thanks again to Studio JK for these fantastic images!

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Do you love browsing photos of vintage-themed weddings? Dreaming of having one, but don’t want to invest time and money in browsing thrift stores and estate sales? Don’t have space to store cool antique furniture you’d like to have at your wedding reception?

Lucky for you, there’s A Vintage Affair – vintage event rentals! I recently met Jessica Strong, the owner, who is truly passionate about her business. Splendor is smitten with A Vintage Affair Rentals! Perfect for weddings, showers, birthday parties, and even photo shoots, A Vintage Affair has the unique pieces you’ve been seeking. Check out our interview with Jessica about her company.

How did you come up with the idea of A Vintage Affair?

When planning my own wedding, I became dismayed at the lack of vintage resources available for brides that wanted to add a vintage feeling to a portion or all of their wedding. I thought the traditional cycle of buy and attempt to resell was burdensome for brides and made the entire process more difficult. As a result, I started A Vintage Affair with an eye towards providing brides with the option to rent vintage items and add that special, timeless touch to their weddings.

Courtesy Laura Murray Photography

Why the vintage theme?

Because like true love, certain things are timeless. Also, because they remind of us the past, when love was simpler. How will future brides save money with your site? Every wedding should have those little touches that take it from ordinary to extraordinary. The problem is that those little touches often carry a big price tag. I want to provide those little touches to brides at a reduced cost. There’s no reason that chic vintage style and cost effectiveness can’t coexist.

Courtesy Laura Murray Photography

What is your goal with starting up the company?

My goal is to be resource for brides while do something that I have a passion for.

Courtesy Laura Murray Photography

When did you begin planning for the site’s launch, and how have you prepared?

I began planning for the sites launch in February 2011, but have been collecting for months at estate sales, flea markets, and online. I have also prepared by researching current trends in the wedding world, going to classes (cakes classes, stamping classes, sewing classes, photography classes) which I think will help me with the business.

Courtesy Laura Murray Photography

Give us a sneek peek of what we can find on your site!

On my site you can find posts about fun ways to integrate vintage items into your own wedding, current wedding trends, posts about my own experience in the wedding planning process, and of course my current inventory.

Jessica Strong, Owner of A Vintage Affair

All images courtesy of Laura Murray Photography.

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Are you searching through magazines and websites to find great decor ideas? Striving to create a unique event? Here are some awesome examples of how to use umbrellas to dress-up your venue – and add lighting effects. Umbrellas as chandeliers. What fun! Your guests would talk about these forever.

Enhance Your Venue’s Decor

This umbrella chandelier is designed to enhance the beauty of the room. This chandelier is actually created with small lights, but a lace parasol would work too. Just don’t get the light bulb too close to the lace!

Notice how the umbrella is reflected in the mirror to give the impression of a row of chandeliers. Imagine how gorgeous and romantic this room would be with long tables, lots of candlelight, and gold and burgundy linens.

Created by Hans van Benthem; Photo by Masumi Shishid

Build Your Design Concept

Famous event planner, Mindy Weiss, used umbrellas as part of the decor for a baby shower for Denise Richards. How sweet are these, decorated with flowers? You could also hang the umbrellas right-side-up and have the flowers hanging from the edges in strings.

Baby Shower Design by Mindy Weiss for Denise Richards

Create a Focal Point and Conversation Piece

You can also use umbrellas to create an amazing focal point and something for your guests to admire during cocktails and dinner. Imagine an umbrella sculpture at your outdoor event. This is perfect for a reception  at a botanic garden, museum, or downtown on a roof deck. Add square tables, funky centerpieces, and Rollasoles for your female guests and you have a fantastic, chic affair! Note: Not sure who to credit for these photos, but you can find them at: http://stevenhaulenbeek.com/

Cumulous Light Canopy by Steven Haulenbeek

Cumulus Light Canopy by Steven Haulenbeek

Outdoor Lighting

You can also use umbrellas as decor for a beautiful outdoor, Tuscany-style, vineyard wedding or a fun, downtown affair. This is one of my favorites. Best part? You can create this look for only $144! That’s a lot of wow for a little investment.

Umbrella Installation by Ingo Maurer; Image: marta.b

For even more umbrella decor ideas, see Event Lucky and World of Amici Events, two blogs by event planners.

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by Lori Ryno

Cherish

Finally after two months in the theaters, my husband offered the option to see Bridesmaids the movie tonight. Really??? Through a text, I had to make sure that he understood that it is a “chick flick” and not to feel weird about it…well we both got a lot more from the movie than we anticipated.

I actually am in the wedding industry and represent the company, Splendor, where we rent shawls and umbrellas. So I entered into the theater with a “one eye open” approach thinking that it was out to bash the wedding industry…I was purely mistaken. It offered me the opportunity to open my eyes back to the role of a bridesmaid and the women that stepped in for me 24 years ago. After watching the movie, it’s very easy to ask brides – why do we choose certain women in our lives to stand tall beside us and to be in our weddings…

I must say before going into the theater – I thought it was a movie about a girls’ trip to Las Vegas somewhat on the cursor on Hangover – just to please the female audience. However I found that it is more about friends amongst women and why there is the tradition of bridesmaids throughout the decades.

So what does make up the special bridal party? Why do we choose the certain women in our lives to stand beside us as we say the most sacred vows to the man that we want to live with forever and have children and grow old with? Are they sisters or childhood friends? Roommates from college or those we trusted with our most valuable secrets as school girls? Why is it when we are the most upset, we go back to the place from our past that is the most comforting?

Either way – weddings are to share with the ones we love the most and not to stray from those who care about us the most. It’s so easy to get carried away as we have seen in many movies and wish that we had the female friends who would have stood beside us through thick and thin – the break ups, the disappointments, our confidants and the ones who had our backs whether we deserved it or not.

So – for all those diligent bridesmaids who are willing to purchase the satin dresses with the dyed-to-match shoes and carry the ribbon-wrapped bouquets, I salute you and bless you for standing beside the best friends whom we care about the most. For planning the showers that may never be perfect and assisting with lacing up the bridal gown on the wedding day. You are there because you care, adore, honor, and cherish the time that you have and will continue to stand beside your friend, sister, sister–in–law, college roommate, and best friend from grade school to support and let her know that you love her no matter what lays ahead her. You will always be there for her…that is what being a Bridesmaid is all about…cherish.

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The Bolero Look

Sophisticated: Picture Audrey Hepburn or Katie Holmes walking down the street with a shawl draped over their heads and the length of the shawl streaming down their backs…with big black sunglasses. That’s sophistication!

Stylish: There are so many ways to wrap, tie and knot a shawl to add an immediate sense of high fashion and elegance to any basic dress or outfit. The bolero look is shown in the photo here. Watch our video on how to wear shawls

Soft: So plush and luxurious you may never want to take it off!

Sensible: Perfect for travel to roll-up your jewelry for the suitcase or wrap yourself in warmth while on the plane.

Summery: Freshen up your wardrobe with honeysuckle pink (shown here), soft lemonade, or garden lilac.

A huge “thank you” to Custom Creations Photography for this beautiful image.

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We were so thrilled to be invited to the new Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Denver for “South Beach at the Seasons”. Picture a gorgeous pool deck adorned with tropical flowers and coral, fuchsia, turquoise and tangerine. The Perfect Petal created a fun atmosphere with floral pomanders that floated in the pool and gorgeous centerpieces in clean white square containers. Large tropical trees, provided by Little Eden Plantscaping, made it feel like we were really pool-side in Miami. Check out photos via Kathryn Bacalis Photography!

During the evening, we had a blast in the photo booth, provided by Shutterbooth. Apparently, I (Nil) need some lessons on posing in a photo booth. Most of the photos were of my forehead or caught me unawares. At least I provided some comedic relief for my photo booth buddies.

We were honored to be involved in this event as umbrella and shawl sponsors. We brought our luxurious raspberry and white shawls and our cute raspberry umbrellas.  It was a warm start to the event, but our shawls were a big hit as the sun set. Ladies in sweet summer dresses wrapped themselves in shawls and were able to enjoy the rest of the evening under the beautiful Colorado sky.

The entire event was fabulous. We love The Four Seasons Denver; they always treat their guests like royalty. Their staff is extraordinary, anticipating our every need the entire night. The refreshments were divine: sweet island cocktails and a succulent taco station complete with fresh fish, roasted pig, and housemade salsas and guacamole. A truly five-star experience made a great evening. Thank you to everyone at The Four Seasons for including Splendor for Your Guests.

Thank you to Kathryn Bacalis Photography for these beautiful shots of our products.

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Need some fun ideas for your bridal or baby shower? Want a unique design for your wedding reception? We partnered with our Splendor Vendor, All Well Rents, to show a fun way to decorate for this spring season.

We created a centerpiece with a pink parasol anchored in a vase filled with orchids. We also placed shawls on the chairs and tied them with All Well’s chair ties and an orchid.

See it in person in their showroom: 2125 S. Platte River Dr. Denver, CO

Fun Covering for the Table

Shawl on the Chair

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We were thrilled to participate in this amazing photo shoot. Thanks to many talented people, we were able to create a modern look at weddings. Most of the vendors who participated in this shoot are Studio Wed vendors, a boutique Denver wedding planning studio.
We hope these photos inspire you to create something unique and memorable with your wedding.

It wouldn’t have been possible without these great vendors:
Wedding Planner: Julie Gambrell, Classic Creations
Wedding Florist: Alicia Schwede, Bella Fiori
Wedding Stylist: Tina Gill, Worthwhile Style
Wedding Hair and Makeup: Kori Schell
Wedding Cake: Slice
Bridal and Bridesmaid Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid
Wedding Invitations: JS Design
Location: Palazzo Verdi
Rentals: Event Rents
Linens: Chair Covers and Linens
Rigging: T’da Designs
Umbrellas & Shawls: Splendor

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As an Image Consultant for almost 20 years, I’ve seen how much importance is placed on the color tones for a wedding. I always recommended to brides that color should reflect your personality, yet also set the style and tone for your very special day. First and foremost – choose wedding colors that YOU love and then use those colors in your bridesmaids’ dresses, shawls, decorations, cake, favors, flowers, umbrellas, accessories, table linens and even the invitations! Here are a couple of tips to remember as you select your colors:

1. Consider Your Surroundings. Where is the ceremony and reception? Will they be indoors or outdoors? Choose colors that complement the setting. Consider the venue and its location, (in the mountains, by the ocean, rustic and natural, or elegant and traditional). Also, consider the window treatments, carpet and overall venue décor.
2. Dramatic? Romantic? What’s Your Style? What mood do you want to create? Vibrant colors add drama, while soft colors evoke a more romantic atmosphere.
3. Let the Season Guide You. The time of the year can influence your color scheme, such as spring and summer colors tend to be lighter, while fall and winter colors are generally darker.
4. Make the Most Impact. Also, to avoid having a overly busy looking event, try to limit your main colors to two or three and remain consistent with your colors throughout the wedding site. You can always add a few subdued colors for a more elegant look.

2011 Wedding Color Trends

Popular wedding color choices for 2011:

turquoise, navy, chartreuse, yellow, honeysuckle
deep red, black & white, slate grey, purple, latte

Enjoy selecting your colors and remember Splendor for Your Guests offers shawl and umbrella rentals and shawl purchases in all of these hot colors for 2011 weddings!

- Lori Ryno, Development Director for Splendor

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I recently participated in the Wedding Preview Event, a wedding showcase put on by My Big Day Planner in Denver. In addition to visiting vendor tables and chatting, the brides and grooms were able to witness actual wedding ceremonies, gorgeous gowns, and beautiful reception table designs.

I was honored to be asked to help with the reception table decor and jumped on the chance right away. We used the shawls to adorn the chairs, adding color and texture to the design. We heard some great comments about the luxurious touch. One person even said, “that’s so wonderful, every wedding should include shawls for the guests!”.

Here are some photos from the day (a huge thanks to Keri Doolittle Photography)!

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