An Autumnal Affair with Flair

Alicia and Joe

October 2011

Penn Ryn Mansion, Philadelphia

Flowers, Decor, Invitations and Accessories by La Petite Fleur

This season, La Petite Fleur fell in love (all over again) with the “looks” of autumn as we designed décor for the October wedding of Alicia and Joe at Pen Ryn Mansion on the Delaware.

Good-humored and tech savvy, Alicia and Joe met online and it was love at first “site.”  Programmed with personality and style, these virtual lovebirds were as lovely to partner with as their warm palette of persimmon and bronze was to work with.  So with fall hues cued, the LPF design team styled an autumnal affair for the couple that exuded “traditional twists”— beginning with their engagement invitation and corresponding note cards. To follow, we collaborated with Alicia and Joe on a custom mocha metallic pocket invitation suite that featured pretty ecru inserts with calligraphic flourishes and a custom monogram, which would also be featured throughout the couple's wedding day stationery suite.

Fall-fabulous features were front and center on the big day, too— as evidenced by the bride's bouquet, which was an exquisite gathering of more than four-dozen mango and white callas that boasted a vintage brooch (a surprise from Alicia’s parents) on the stems.  The bridesmaids carried vibrant bouquets of roses, berries, lisianthus and celosia; while the bride’s and groom’s mothers carried specialty “glamilia” bouquets, which were single billowing blossoms created using individually-wired flower petals.

After the 'I Dos', Alicia and Joe celebrated with family and friends at historic Pen Ryn Mansion.  For cocktails, guests toiled through the parlor and adjoining rooms where LPF adorned fireplace mantles with cascading garlands of textured blossoms, leaves and grasses that coordinated with both the couples’ look and the mansion’s interior. Custom-designed escort cards printed on couture paper were centered around an oversized grapevine ball, perched atop a gold cube, that featured bright orange circus roses, copper beech clusters and weaved grasses.

Once inside the ballroom, the newlyweds and their guests dined at tables that LPF dressed with deep wine linens and one of two centerpiece styles.  The first, a garden-inspired cluster of violet, wine and white blooms, including hydrangea, copper beech and orchids, as well as branches and votives, was arranged in a tall trumpet vase that featured a mocha satin criss-cross wrapped base.  The second centerpiece brimmed with persimmon and bronze blooms in a metallic urn and also included branches with votives.  Table cards that coordinated with Alicia and Joe’s stationery suite finished the tables styling.

A Tasteful Event

Nationalities Service Center – Global Tastes

November 2011

WHYY – Hamilton Center Commons

Flowers and Decor by La Petite Fleur

La Petite Fleur is proud to have cultivated a new relationship with the Nationalities Service Center (NSC) through the organization’s annual Global Tastes event, which honors Philadelphia’s diverse communities through cuisine.

It was a pleasure collaborating with the fundraiser’s production sponsor Dunleavy and Associates to create a garden-inspired flower and décor plan for last week’s event.  In fact, the concept was an outgrowth of NSC’s new South Philly Community Garden and overall mission to provide immigrants and refugees the opportunity to establish roots and for growth.

LPF designed two centerpiece styles: a unique vegetable topiary comprised of greens punctuated by variegated Lady apples and deep magenta radishes for the low-top tables and, an earthy, yet elegant, arrangement of warm, muted-orange roses in a twig-wrapped glass cylinder filled with cranberries for the high-top tables.  The showpiece, however, was the soaring sign-in arrangement, that boasted tiers of brightly-colored vegetables and blooms, which was finished with garden tool accents and red sunflowers.

Many thanks to both the NSC and Dunleavy for inviting La Petite Fleur to participate.  And congratulations to the Nationalities Service Center on its 90^th anniversary and on a scrumptious-showing at this year’s soiree! 

Scarlett Sparkle

Jess and David

September 2011

Meadowlands Country Club

Blue Bell, Pennsylvania

Flowers, Decor and Accessories by La Petite Fleur
Detailed Photography by Lori Gail for La Petite Fleur

A note from the blissful bride:

"Thank you to you and all the staff at La Petite Fleur!!

We were thrilled to see the results on the wedding day! It was all beautiful and well done. Thank you for working with us and making our designs within our budget.  I especially loved the tall centerpieces and my bouquet."

A Pearled Party

Liz and Matt

Huntingdon Valley Country Club

Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania

August 2011

Invitations, Flowers, Decor and Accessories by La Petite Fleur

Photography by SAS Becker Creative Photography

The late summer wedding of Liz and Matt at Huntingdon Valley Country Club epitomizes classic wedding style.  With a champagne and ivory color palette and sophisticated accouterments (pearls played the starring role); this La Petite Fleur-designed affair is best characterized as timeless.  

Guests were introduced to the couple’s and, subsequently, the wedding’s style by the elegant cream invitation that emerged from a black scrollwork lined envelope and formally requested their presence in a delicate black script.

The day of, Liz was stunning in an off-the-shoulder flounced gown, which inspired the design of her pearl-cuffed bouquet of creamy, petite roses, and soft white callas, which were nestled amidst grand white garden roses— with their ever-so-feminine scalloped petals. Black-centered anemones punctuated the pretty presentation. 

A traditional white satin aisle runner led Liz down the aisle, which was framed by burgeoning white hydrangea pew clusters that boasted pearl accents and long white satin tails, to a picturesque alter flanked by classically shaped urns filled with soaring white gladiolas.

In champagne dresses, the bridesmaids carried bouquets of crisp white ranunculus and soft white hydrangea— accented with anemones— that were finished with simple greens and tails of satin. 

To coordinate with his bride, Matt wore a simple white calla boutonnière, while the groomsmen’s lapels sported delicate, yet structured, Star of Bethlehem blossoms—all finished with black satin-wrapped stems.

With the couple’s desire for elegance in mind, LPF created a current look with stately style for the reception at Huntingdon Valley.  A bountiful white rose arrangement in the center hall greeted guests, while just beyond, French doors led well-wishers to cocktails on the veranda, which featured dramatic cabana-style draping, as well as white-washed pots with deep green palms. Cocktail tables were dressed in ivory and sheer copper linens topped with glass bubble bowls filled with swirled grasses and white orchid blossoms. It was also an orchid
(a catellaya to be specific) that graced the top of the wedding cake.

With its vaulted ceiling and grand fireplace, the ballroom’s décor included a floor plan with tables of varying shapes, as well as sizes and configurations— dressed in floor-length couture linens which alternated between ivory cloths embroidered with swirls of pearl knot-stitching and sandalwood cloths finished with white bengaline runners.  Each table also featured a bold black number simply presented in beautiful mother-of-pearl frames.

Three sophisticated centerpiece styles topped the luxe linens.  The first was a glass footed-compote filled with glistening water pearls and full arrangements of specialty Casablanca lilies—set-off by sets of pearl-wrapped glass votives. 

The second centerpiece featured a tall glass trumpet with submerged orchid stems and pearl strands—topped with clustered white hydrangea and arching stems of dendrobium orchids. On either side, champagne satin-wrapped cylinders brimmed with soft white hydrangea and creamy Vendella roses with pearl centers.

The third centerpiece in the trio was a duo of fluted vases with pearl-cuffs that were also filled with creamy Vendella roses and specialty greens. Each pair was situated atop a white bengaline runner which spanned the length of the sandalwood bengaline linen-dressed rectangular tables.  Rows of votives between the two centerpieces provided a luminescence that completed the elegant presentation.

To finish Liz and Matt’s timeless look, LPF adorned the 10’ tall mantel, which served as the backdrop to the couple’s table, with grand white palms, calathia leaves and hydrangea. 

 

The Romance of Sleek and Antique

Tanya & Matt

Colonial Dames, Philadelphia

June 2011

Event Styling, Flowers, Decor and Paper Accessories by La Petite Fleur

Photography by Rui Barros Photography

Tanya and Matt’s regal affair at historic Colonial Dames in Philadelphia made design history!

Drawing from the couple’s affinity for art deco design and the venue’s inspired architecture, LPF designed a look for their wedding that married art deco and colonial elements to create a romantically sleek, yet antique, style.   As such, the floral designs for both the ceremony and the reception boasted blooms with strong lines in a bold— albeit vintage— white, rich green and peach palette.

Colonial Dames’ lush courtyard hosted the ceremony, which featured an impressive willow arbor adorned with romantic, garden-style blooms and foliage in shades of green, white and pale peach.  Tanya walked down a rose-petaled aisle past garden chairs adorned with swiss dotted tulle ribbon-hung couture paper cones brimming with white hydrangea and guinea feathers. 

With stems wrapped in satin and lace, Tanya’s bouquet was the epitome of romance.  It exuded a vintage feel with antique white roses; white orchids, hydrangea and ranunculus; guinea fowl feathers; and simple greens. The bridesmaids carried feminine bunches of white and cream blooms, including roses and ranunculus, Star of Bethlehem, as well as trachellium and petite peach roses.

Perpetuating the sleek antique look were the men’s boutonnières. Matt’s unique, coordinating design used green and white orchid blossoms and ranunculus, as well as touches of guinea fowl feathers. 

The affair’s unique style even appeared in the entryway of Colonial Dames with a stunning arrangement of white calla lilies and oversized, rich green palms in a tall silver trumpet vase.  To welcome well-wishers, white rosewood wreaths were hung on the venue’s handsome French doors with wide, dark green satin.

Romance filled the famed venue as amber up-lighting—creatively installed by our friends at Synergetic Sound and Lighting—filled the reception. The perimeter of the celebration featured sweeping potted palms. Centerpieces varied between two styles and alternated between a trio of stemmed glass candle holders— some filled with swirled grass, crystals and a floating candle, while others were filled with white hydrangea— atop organic monsterra leaf chargers; and a silver revere bowl filled with white and green hydrangea that were accented with peach blooms, delicate orchids and Queen Anne’s lace, looped grasses, a regal collar of folded leaves and white ostrich feathers.  The presentation on both sets of tables was finished with candles and a custom-designed, hand-assembled art deco number table cards matted against dark green stock.

A custom logo featuring the couple’s initials in art deco lettering and their vintage color palette adorned the escort cards, Mr. & Mrs. signs, and the famed favors: delicate, lace candy cones that were filled with candy. And not just any candy… the “Blumenthal mix,” which is comprised of candies Matt’s family originally created… Sno-caps, Goobers and Raisinets.

A Sweetheart of a Soiree

Lindsay and Josh
Glen Foerd Mansion

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Flowers, Decor, Accessories and Invitations by La Petite Fleur

Photography for La Petite Fleur by Lori Gail

Catering by Conroy Catering

We’re sweet on this soiree’s style! This soiree has one of the sweetest looks— not to mention couples— that the La Petite Fleur team has had the pleasure of styling. In fact, designing the details of Lindsay and Josh’s summer sunset wedding at Glen Foerd Mansion was a true collaboration between our team and the bride and groom.

Our designers used the couple’s pale sherbet palette and their collection of quaint accessories, which included assorted glassware and buttons, as a springboard to fashion a sweet celebration that exuded sophisticated charm.

As guests arrived at the mansion’s doorstep, the front door proudly displayed a square moss wreath adorned with hand-folded paper wheels and vintage buttons. Also on the porch was the guest sign- in station, which included a cheery yellow and white stripe linen-dressed table displaying an antique- framed chalkboard sign that warmly welcomed guests to share well wishes with the Mr. and Mrs. on quilt patches.

Behind the estate, LPF set the scene for a picturesque riverside ceremony—decking trees with handcrafted paper pom-poms and setting-up a lemonade stand with an antique-framed sign that invited guests to “pucker-up with a cup.” Peach and yellow parasols were also perched nearby in white aluminum buckets with signs that encouraged guests to “hold them tight, for the sweethearts’ love is bright!”

A simple scattering of rose petals framed the aisle, which was flanked by white garden chairs— featuring petite clusters of picture-perfect petals, including pale yellow Lemoncello roses, which adorned ribbon-hung white-washed frames.

Lindsay’s bouquet was a garden-inspired gathering of lush white peonies, delicate dahlias and asters, blush pink garden roses and coral ranunculus—punctuated by hot pink gomphrina, with stems that were carefully finished with intricate lace ribbon and vintage buttons.

Perpetuating the whimsy of the day’s look were the various styles of bouquets and boutonnières carried by the bridal party. While each bridesmaid carried a unique composition of the blooms found in Lindsay’s bouquet; the groomsmen wore single-variety boutonnières that complemented Josh’s, which had a white dahlia, yellow craspedia and a touch of greens. And while the bouquets were finished with simple, varied greens and a yellow and white striped ribbon cuff closed with vintage buttons, the boutonnieres had raffia-wrapped stems also finished with buttons.

The indoor/outdoor cocktail hour featured tables dressed with yellow and white striped floor-length linens topped with a trio of eclectic vessels, including some from the couple’s collection, filled with single stems of white dahlias, yellow craspedia and coral roses.

Dinner and dancing took place in Glen Foerd’s expansive conservatory which, in days gone by, had been a tiered slate and stone porch. As guests entered the reception, they were met with an escort bottle display and a flower-shoppe inspired display of aluminum buckets filled with single varieties, including pink peonies, white hydrangea and coral snap dragons, which were sitting on a table draped in a coral linen and finished with a burlap “L-O-V-E” banner.

When it came to the sweetheart table, we also topped that with a yellow and white stripe linen and one of the bride’s blue mason jars (for her bouquet). White chiviarri chairs with pale yellow cushions and handmade Mr. and Mrs. flags finished the look.

Reception tables were dressed with coral floor-length linens and white chiviarri chairs (pale yellow cushions) and then topped with one of two styles of centerpieces. Half of the tables featured a round garden-inspired arrangement of pink dahlias, green hanging amaranthus, hot pink peonies, asters, yellow roses and a variety of greens in a glass compote perched atop a beribboned, white wood platform. Custom table cards were suspended from wide yellow and white ribbon accented with a vintage button.

The other tables featured a collection of containers with white ranunculus, pink peonies, and pale yellow roses on a white truffle stand topped with a cloche adorned with the same custom ribboned table card. Terra cotta pot satellite arrangements set-off the blooms beneath the cloche. Meanwhile, hand-folded wheels, in varying patterns, accented with buttons, sat atop the napkins at each place setting.

And although sunlight floods the conservatory during the day, LPF wanted the room’s look to evolve as the event progressed. So, as evening fell, Italian bulb lights twinkled over the dance floor (thanks to our friends at Synergetic Sound and Lighting!).

Bri and Kell's Sparkling Sweet 16

Bri and Kell

June 2011

Glenside, Pennsylvania