beautifuldays

York Maine Wedding Expo

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:39:08 +0000

A few weekends ago I was part of the Greater York Chamber of Commerce’s annual Wedding Expo. A lovely event for brides getting married in Southern Maine. I am always amazed at how many people flock to this area to tie the knot! It was alot of fun and a great excuse to play with flowers in the middle of winter!

I am LOVING the mussel shells with the hydrangeas, succulents and anemones! Perfect seaside colors with a contemporary twist! A few other lovely seaside blues and whites but a bit softer and romantic. The red amaryllis and red roses weren’t coming together until I added the yellow kangaroo paws and billy balls – HOT! I saw the pink protea and had to have it…fantastic combinations with the deep purple and pink mini callas, fluffy pink roses, jasmine vine, fiddle heads and dark burgundy ti leaf wraps. The classic white parrot tulips with ferns and hyacinth are given a vintage feel by arranging in a silver pitcher I’ve had for ages and the wonderful green and white bouquet that complements it is so fresh and sweet. And finally the butter yellow arrangement was inspired by a perfect little pear!

Extra special thanks to Geneve Hoffman for the great photos!!

Hurricane Danny can’t keep a good wedding down!

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:10:29 +0000

Every bride and groom who are planning a coastal Maine wedding need to be prepared for any kind of weather regardless of the season…it could snow in April, sleet in October, rain all day long in June but hurricane in August!? Yes Hurricane Danny was Matt and Ashley’s loud, beligerant, obnoxious, univited guest at their wedding this summer. Some couples would lose it, break into tears that rivaled the rains, call the whole thing off when faced with the fact that mother nature was going to commandeer their perfect seaside summer wedding but NOT Matt and Ashley! Such a cool, fun, fantastic couple..they stayed calm, shrugged their shoulders and knew they were going to have a great celebration no matter what. Thankfully we were at the Newagen Seaside Inn, one of coastal Maine’s most beautiful wedding locations which is staffed by an amazing crew headed by the wonderful Jason Schlosser and we were able to move the party inside instead of the being in the tent by the water. Matt and Ashley did however use the tent for the rehearsal dinner which was decorated with fantastic wasp catcher lanterns provided by the groom’s sister and friends and family were able to take in the gorgeous seaside views. Sure enough the next day the winds blew hard, the rain didn’t stop and the seas were churning. Inside we created a warm ceremony space in the lobby using all the ceremony flowers that were planned for outside and as many lanterns I could get out of the tent before I was blown into the sea. The inn’s dining room was bright and lovely with fresh white linens, white chairs and seasonal flowers from Blooms of Hope against the grey skies outside and the Lisa Love Experience ROCKED the party ! There was a lot of love in that room and the vibe had everyone smiling, dancing and singing all night long…especially Matt and Ashley who I just adore and love that they embraced the fact that despite the weather they were still surrounded by their nearest and dearest and were getting married no matter what the weather! It was truly a beautiful day and I am so honored to have been a part of it.

One very special piece was going to be missed on that day…the quintessential seaside, summer day photos. Ashley had the brilliant idea of having their phenomenal (and all around awesome person!) wedding photographer Brian Wedge come back the following Monday to capture those seaside shots. And they are gorgeous!

Congratulations to Matt and Ashley! Now I know who to party with the next time a hurricane strikes!

Merry everything!

admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:33:28 +0000

Christmas is my favorite holiday! I plan menus, look forward to gatherings of friends and family and deck the halls. I am so pleased with the decorations from this year! Some gold and green, a little glitter, some gorgeous plants and alot of candles….

Some of my favorites…my glitter deer family and little birds hidden throughout the house, the gorgeous succulents, creamy poinsettias and rosemary topiaries, glowing, gold votives, our beautiful tree cut on a sunny winter morning just down the road, modern paper garlands and gorgeous candle lanterns made from fabulous paper from the fantastic Portsmouth shop Gus & Ruby , handmade wrapping paper by Wyatt, simple yet special gold ornaments scattered everywhere, lovely little green and spiky gourds, making my favorite treat – Whoopee Pies (with some crushed candy cane for good measure!), “The Nutcracker Suite”, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “James Brown Christmas Collection” playing all day everyday, the ivory burlap runner on my dining table, a warm fireplace, a pre christmas trip to the farmers market to stock up, my kitchen overflowing with homemade sweets and savories….but I truly get the most joy from having all my family around my dinner table for a feast after watching Wyatt and his three cousins eagerly and excitedly open presents… and my heart is full after seeing the huge smile on my husbands face on Christmas morning as he put on his skates to teach our son Wyatt how to skate for the first time on our pond. I think I’ll hold on to that moment and carry it with me into 2010…

Snapshots of fall…

admin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:33:23 +0000

Fall is a lovely time of year in New England - so much rich and colorful change! Over the past few weeks I’ve collected some snapshots of fall…all inspiring and a reminder of why I love living in New England.

A burst of color on a gray day.

Love the texture, movement and colors!

Homemade cinnamon sugar donuts are the best treat at the last farmer's market!

Perfect placement.

Details, details, details...

...framing a seaside view.

An unexpected warm and sunny day at the beach.

Kerri & Patrick, Boothbay Harbor

admin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:20:56 +0000

The summer has come and gone but Kerri and Patrick’s Boothbay Harbor wedding will always be the perfect summer day to look back on. After a dreary start to the summer the sun shone on Kerri and Pat and their guests for their gorgeous coastal Maine wedding celebration at the Spruce Point Inn. Even if it stormed, this day would have been flawless…Kerri is a natural beauty and sooo sweet and charming and has such wonderful taste and Patrick is one of the most easy going, sweetest grooms I have met! Pink and green prevailed and Kerri, her lovely mother Patti and I worked together to create an elegant, contemporary, chic and special day with all the trimmings…unique finds from Etsy, the button detail from Kerri’s grandmother’s wedding dress wrapped around her bouquet, the perfect hot pink shoes under a stunning gown, flip flops for tired feet, customized guest book with fantastic engagement portraits (Beth you rock!), pomegranate martinis with a twist, special family photos, fun napkin wraps, limes, limes and more limes, fresh wheat grass, elegant linens and sparklers for a festive end of the night send off. This was beyond a beautiful day and I am so proud and honored to have been a part of Kerri and Patrick’s wedding! Very special thanks to Beth Fitzgerald of Blush Imagery for the stunning photos!

Day-of coordination, flowers and design by Beautiful Days.

Seasonal Finds

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:31:10 +0000

I love this time of year…the leaves constantly changing color, the air a little cooler and visions of gathering friends and family for holiday feasts fill my head. I’ve always wanted a BIG dining table and thankfully I got my wish a few Thanksgivings ago when we fit 13 adults and a baby at each corner around a 10′ long x 40″ wide farm table made of old pine barn boards! Thank goodness my husband is an amazing craftsmen and carpenter! I have a lot of fun decorating it through out the seasons but this fall I am loving some new finds that are perfect for the table…a super cool, old chicken feeder dug up at a funky antique shop a few weeks ago, mini and spiky gourds from farmer’s market and lovely, perfectly shaped small pumpkins from a local farm…add a few oak tree branches with acorn tops from the back yard and my table is looking lovely! I’ll nestle a few votive candles in the mix when we sit for our next family gathering. My husband calls it the most unique horn of plenty he has seen…I’m already thinking about what will take it’s place for Christmas!

Love ROCKS!

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:00:38 +0000

This is so fantastic I just had to share…one of my brides for 2010 is sooo lucky to have her mom planning all the details big and small for her Maine ocean side ceremony and reception. Below is her mom’s 3 am flash of brilliance… “Love ROCKS” from her island garden. A photo of this along with a wish rock will be given to the guests…very cool, very special and very inspired!!!

A great reminder that inspiration for your wedding or special event can come in all shapes and sizes and at any time of the day so make sure to keep a notepad by the side of your bed to scribble down whatever flashes of brilliance wakes you up at 3 am.

My kind of party….

admin — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:28:32 +0000

Here it is fall already and I am just now catching up on sharing the great events from the summer! I thought I’d start off with one of my favorites…My brother Peter has a company called Tidal Rock that sells excellent clothes with cool graphics representing The Cape, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Our family grew up on Nantucket and even though we don’t live there anymore we are deeply connected to that very special place. This summer Peter hosted his second annual BBQ,Bocce & Bluegrass party to benefit the Nantucket Conservation Foundation. The first year was a huge success and this year’s gathering was even better! Friends and family came together to make it all happen…putting up outdoor lighting, installing last minute bleacher seats which were a must have, creating court signs, prepping food, organizing the tournament, picking up locally brewed beer from Cisco Brewery , some of the first corn from the fields of Bartlett’s Farm and ice cream from The Juice Bar, setting up tables and chairs, laying out the courts and ALOT more! Thankfully it was a gorgeous day and all the hard work paid off. Island locals and visitors grooved to a bluegrass band, feasted on fantastic BBQ, drank excellent beer, and oh yeah played some bocce. My brother Jake and I paired up to hopefully redeem ourselves for placing second last year – we were close but had to sit on the side lines as the final players went head to head under the lights. This was my kind of party because it had all makings for the perfect gathering…family, dear friends, babies and kids, great simple food, local brews, live music that all ages enjoy and a clear summer sky that went from sun filled to a full moon with the smell of the ocean lingering in the background. Next year’s benefit is already on my calender and I can’t wait!

Taste of the Nation

admin — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:31:39 +0000

This June Beautiful Days had the opportunity to decorate the VIP tent for Taste of the Nation benefit hosted by Share Our Strength Seacoast. The design direction was inspired by the gorgeous photography of Alexandra de Steiguer. We worked with black, white, and blues to capture the feeling of her dramatic shots of landscapes and weathered coast lines. The flower arrangements included lacquered black manzanita branches, white peonies and roses, silver dusty miller, blue sea holly and poppy pods. Mussel shells lined the flower vases - now every time I go to the beach with my son he thinks we are there to collect mussel shells! Edibles were also included in the taste table and the entry flowers – blackberries, artichokes, garlic scapes from the farmers market and kale, mizuna and blueberry bushes from my garden and yes I was picking these at ten pm, in the rain with a head lamp on! A sea of large paper lanterns in pale blue and white hovered over the guests who lounged in special adirondack chairs from Scott Masi of Chairman of the Board . The chairs were finished with custom silkscreened pillows that were designed and created with the talents and help of my neighbor Rachel of Schumacher Designs. Guests were treated to some fun with a great photo booth courtesy of Maine Photo Booth Company - I will admit that I did it four times – silly stuff! It was truly an honor to be part of such a fantastic fundraising and awareness effort for making sure no child in the United States is hungry. A very special thank you to Geneve Hoffman for as always creating beautiful photos and to all the volunteers who helped us out!

Emily & Matt, Laudholm Farm

admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:27:51 +0000

I just can’t get away from pink and green and I love it! Growing up on the east coast I will admit that I had my brush with the classic preppy color combination and I wore my pink izod with the collar turned up with pride! But pink and green isn’t just for the preppy set – it is fresh, fun and classic! I have a wedding coming up in a few weeks where we are using a range of pinks and greens so I have the colors on my mind and am reflecting on the pink and green wedding I did last year.

Emily the bride knew just what she wanted – something sophisticated and contemporary while still being inviting and warm. Under the dining tent we created pink and green table arrangements running the length of the three long family style dining tables with creations of varying heights and scale with key lime and green apple accents and floating, pillar and votive candles. After dinner guests were led to the classic barn with the large entry framed by tulle draping lit by twinkle lights and the inside filled with pink and white paper lanterns. We added a few pink spot lights to the barn to get some more of the pink glow going. The results were stunning and a perfect place for cupcakes for dessert and dancing away the rest of the night.

Hosted by Laudholm Farm (one of favorite venues!), Emily and Matt’s celebration was beautifully captured by David Murray of David Murray Weddings and a fantastic feast was served by Kitchen Chicks Catering. All the details and day of coordination were handled with ease by the lovely Brooke Sheldon of Lilybrooke Events. Many thanks to David for providing the gorgeous photos!