Real Weddings: Anne Decker and Scott Gloden at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

Anne and Scott's wedding was SUPER fun to plan and design! They are soccer enthusiasts both personally and professionally, but they wanted themselves and their wedding environment to appear sophisticated, yet resemble their fun, easy nature as well. BINGO!

I particularly enjoyed dividing a large ballroom into a "dining area" and "dance/lounge" area. This made for an elegant dinner party, followed by a lively parry and dance celebration!

Keeping the tables fresh and contemporary had Anne and Scott's name {literally!} written all over them! These acrylic table numbers were EVERYTHING, and Anne and Scott even keep theirs by their nightstand to this day, as I understand!

Sooo dreamy, right??

The reveal! I loved watching Anne taking it all in ...

That bouquet!

The sweetest parents you ever want to know, Veronica and Dr. Decker~

And, I always love, love, love the relationships I forge with the mommas, and Veronica is as great as they get!

*Wedding Planner/Designer: Lisa Stoner| E Events {Moi!} *Venue: Loews Porotfino Bay Hotel* *Images Courtesy of Abby Liga|Liga Photography* *Floral Design by Botanica International Design Studio* *Draping by Swag Decor* *Invitations, Wedding Stationery and Table Numbers by Amy Morelli|The 2u Collection* *Dance Floor: Letz Dance On It* *Lounge Furniture: AFR Furniture Rental*

This Week I'm Loving ... Weddings with Lace!

Whether you are traditional, classic, conservative or even contemporary, lace can most definitely have a role in your wedding.

No longer considered stuffy or demode, lace is appearing in various elements in wedding design.

The most visible statement you can make with lace is with, of course, your wedding gown. These gowns featured by Angel Rivera and Oscar de la Renta perfectly illustrate how a gown can be carried off in a traditional, classic and stylish manner.

A "soft" hint of your love of lace can be seen even in your wedding invitation design just like this spectacular couture design by Amy Morelli with The 2u Collection:

This package wrapped in lace {via "Oh, hello friend."} can make for an adorable ring bearer's box!

You can carry the style and look of lace throughout your wedding by mimicking your dress design on your cake, or simple touches in the special details throughout the day.

Lace inspiration is everywhere and it has a stronger presence than ever. From women's fashion, to home decor and, of course, WEDDINGS, I'm delighted to see lace take center stage.

Perhaps this quote by Coco Chanel says it all?
“I consider lace to be one of the prettiest imitations ever made of the fantasy of nature; lace always evokes for me those incomparable designs which the branches and leaves of trees embroider across the sky, and I do not think that any invention of the human spirit could have a more graceful or precise origin.”

REAL WEDDINGS: Robyn and Andrew Dixon

Delightful, whimsical, refined, intimate and cozy are just some of the many adjectives that come to mind as I recall the wedding of Robyn Thomas and Andrew Dixon.

I met Robyn through the highly regarded owner and creative director, Amy Morelli with The 2u Collection. Honored and humbled by the contact, I met with Robyn literally moments after having stepped off a plane from a business trip.
Robyn was tentative to say the least! Andrew simply wanted to marry the love of his life {as easily as possible!} and Robyn did crave a wedding, just not a lavish affair--

With the their sensibilities and priorities in mind, I set forth to conceptualize a beautiful backyard, garden wedding for an intimate gathering of only family and closest friends.

Andrew hails from England, and so we had a bocce ball set, English cookies from his "mum" and our English garden setting. He also built a beautiful deck on the very edge of some woods behind their house where we hung a chandelier overhead and 60 fortunate souls were able to witness Robyn and Andrew promise their lives to one another forever.

Robyn was a tremendous sport by scouting and recruiting family china- enabling us to set gorgeous tables with mismatched {yet coordinating} plates, and family silver vessels that my phenomenal floral team Aaron and Jay with Flowers of Winter Park were able to further enhance.

The scene was perfectly set with the gorgeous menu cards and escort cards to compliment guests' invitations, the most delicious meal as prepared by Kevin Moore with Moore Fine Foods {nobody left hungry!} a most beautiful cake by Cakes by Design, a surprise cigar roller for Andrew and heart-thumping libations played by DJ Fun Factory.

An afternoon and evening filled with love, laughter, family, friends and nostalgia...

It just doesn't get much better than that--Cheers!

UNBRIDLED: My favorite wedding friends like...Amy Morelli!

This week I probed into the creative mind of colleague and friend, Amy Morelli.
Owner and Visionary for The 2u Collection, Amy Morelli conceptualizes and designs one-of-a-kind, exclusive custom invitation collections as well as specializing in Wedding & Boutique Advertising Design.
Amy and I have collaborated on many ideas, and my fresh logo and marketing collateral is all in great thanks to her. I ALWAYS feel sassy handing out my business cards, rack cards and marketing collateral confident in her designs and execution. Best yet, she’ll always give it you straight, people! I find Amy to be very ‘black and white” with no grey area; a very reliable characteristic when you need to trust someone with your vision.
Oh, and she’s pretty fun too…


• Itching to work with: Lee Forrest of Lee Forrest Design. He is fabulous and a friend, but we have yet to share an event! Would love to figure out how to incorporate live floral in my reception paper designs somehow.
• Fashion Obsessions: Newest Pair of Open-Toed Black Shoe Boots, were just purchased with the help of Miss Abby Liga—Need I say more, they are Fierce and I find myself planning my outfits just so I can just wear these shoes!
• Beauty must-haves: Currently it’s a headband. I’m growing the bangs out. Not fun!! But I’m making the most of it, and going with the gypsy look this summer. Crocheted headbands, over sized sunglasses!!
• Office/Work must haves: Colored Felt Tip Fine Point Pens…Love them, Makes boring admin tasks vibrant and bright!
• Speed dialing: 2 people. My husband of course, who has been supportive through the building of my dream, and gives me great objective business advice. And Abby Liga, I bounce creative ideas off of her, and she’ll always tell me the truth about my work!
• Can’t get enough of: Bubble Yum Gum! (any sour flavor) Sounds silly but there is nothing like snapping bubbles to the beat of my favorite tunes to get my creative juices flowing.
• Jonesing to: see Graceland! I think it would be fun to spend a long weekend in Memphis
• Current work project: a Secret Project with Susan Southerland and Kristy Chenell! Mum is the word! Love those ladies
• Current personal project: I need to get my butt back in shape, and I’ve been starting to swim laps… Also, I need to get my personal videos organized and edited!
• Necessary extravagance: my IPHONE…need I say more!
• If I weren’t a graphic designer, I would: Lead camping expeditions. My husband says it’s the hippie deep inside of me. I would miss all my girly things, but deep inside there is a bit of a country outdoorsy girl!
• In my bag: Lip Balm (Mint Bou Balm from Caribou Coffee- it’s a Michigan thing) Travel Baby Wipes (What?! Really I’m don’t have a baby) a compact and box of matches (again—why? Not too sure.) And of course those who know me will laugh—pieces of paper swatches I’ve collected here and there…I do have a problem
• Recent discovery: Metallic Linen Paper! It’s Metallic, It’s Linen, and it’s Amazing.
• Craving: my famous bloody-tini with blue cheese stuffed olives.. Yum.


*Fun, fearless and frivolous flashbacks*

1. First bit of face time. Lunch at Infusion Tea House.. Realized we shared so many of the same philosophies, attitudes about business and love of fashion. I knew we’d hit it off and be not only have a business relationship but a friendship also.

2. First Bride we shared! Miss Robyn; where I was lucky enough to be a guest and a vendor. It was a great experience bouncing ideas off of you, developing the stationery concepts together, and of course seeing you in action day of!

3. Martinis with you and Miss Abby Liga on Park Avenue just after your speaking engagement in BFE…! I discovered Pink! Was your angry music, as it is also mine!

Glitz. Glamour. Reveal E Events and Liga Photography Style!

W-O-W!!! I have already gotten such tremendous feedback regarding our grand opening soiree last night-
We have all heard the saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words..." My personal dictionary is now overflowing and I shall not even attempt to compete with the phenomenal slide show images from Liga Photography except to say:
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your support, encouragement and love. Our guests included current clients, previous clients, {Hopefully NEW clients!!} professional partners, personal friends and Winter Park neighbors. I feel so incredibly blessed and humble.
My personal and sincerest thanks goes to Jeffrey Stoner, DJ Carl, Jay and Aaron with Flowers of Winter Park, Awny Kashoggi with Unique Option, Kevin with Moore Fine Foods Rashida with BBJ LInen, Amy Morelli with 2u Collection,Alicia Zutter of Alicia Zutter Couture {fabulous designer!!} Tommy Hart with American Audio Visual, my TEAM {Jessy, Brittany and Nancy; what would/could I do without you??} and all of you-

Roll -em!

Inspired Wedding Tabletop Decor: "Big Sur"

A question I often ask my clients, vendor partners and even myself is "What inspires you?" I find that if thought our carefully, it can open the door to many creative opportunities and experiences.

Several months ago, I had the distinct pleasure of having been asked to participate in an evening to assist The Ritz Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes to "Impress, Indulge and Inspire." Guests that already had their special date on the books grew increasingly excited over the designs created by our area's top wedding and event planners, floral designers, furniture rental ingenues and the like. Prospective clients invited could not get their dates on the books quickly enough after the stellar evening.

Enlisting a team that I was extremely compatible with was my first priority. With that in mind, I immediately called Tommy Murphy with Greenery Productions and Awny Kashoggi, owner of Unique Option. As I have come to delightfully expect, an initial pow-wow between us sparked such enthusiastic creativity and inspiration. Getting in a room with these gentlemen is exhilarating and I left the table dizzy with the anticipation of seeing our collective ideas brought to life.

Indeed, the reality far exceeded my expectations!

Our first table we labeled ,"Big Sur" as this same team was inspired by a recent couple, {and recent blog post} Christie and Harvey Heller.

Organic, earthy, natural and hearty with a splash of "over the top," the table was presented with the use of camphor vines with cymbidium orchids wired woven amongst the branches, a natural stone overlay over moss green velvet and shantung linen provided by Wildflower Linen. Awny's water walls surrounded by candles in varying heights carried our imaginations to what we had dreamed the ideal rustic yet glamorous environment would be out west.

To tell our story from beginning to end, we had invitations, escort cards, and menus designed with organic paper, real leaves and stones by the innovative Amy Morelli of the 2u Collection.

I was fortunate enough to have the gracious offer from Damon Tucci to capture my table images and the rest are from Tommy's trusty camera.

What inspires you...?

Go Green-or- Go Home

Going "green" is such a welcomed trend, and one I feel I have been incorporating into weddings more and more in the past year.

Is this a trend or is it now a way of life?

"Going Green" has become somewhat of a social responsibility, but what about the rest of us *divas* who want to do the right thing, but still have a desire to maintain our sense of style and personality?

Yesterday morning was spent with the cameras and talent of The Daily Buzz who were gracious enough to ask for me to put together a "Green Weddings" segment. Always flattered, I did have one stipulation for mega-watt talent anchor-at-large, Kia Malone.

Please,oh, please let's not alienate those of us who can embrace the many opportunities for going green without having to do it "all or nothing!"

On board, she was eager to see what we had in store for her, and I cherished some of the positive reactions she had to what is now available-

What are you willing to sacrifice and what can you just not live without? Truth be told, I need to have my real diamonds and a smashing ensemble. On the other hand, I would be more than willing to consider an organic menu, no favors, (less waste) alternative floral decor and much more. Especially after what I saw what can be done...

Tommy Murphy and his stellar design crew at Greenery Productions played host to this remote (taped yesterday, and to air on April 21st) and helped us purvey the many stylish alternatives to design with class and conscience.

Enhancements like invitations made from completely recycled paper, real leaves and stones for escort cards were creatively fabricated by Amy Morelli with 2u Collection. Additional research of her own revealed that many of her paper sources were Operation Green themselves; how gratifying!

Our specific time on the 21st has yet to be determined, but you can email me for updates-

Until then, this is what a team effort looks like after an extensive (and environmentally friendly!) television shoot.