Real Wedding Day Inspiration - Asmi and Ameer Pt. 2

Hello again, dear readers! I can't believe it's Wednesday already. This week is moving along quite quickly. As promised we are back with the beautifully colorful mehendi ceremony for Asmi and Ameer. You can view their incredible wedding here. These pictures were captured by the talented team at AGAiMAGES. The mehendi celebration seems a bit less formal than the wedding but traditional with the blessing and exchange of gifts.
The happy groom, Ameer's arrival
The beautiful bride, Asmi arrives with her mother
The couple receiving blessings and offerings


A blessing from the elders
The little ones bearing gifts

A veil dance performance honoring the couple

What cultural traditions will you incorporate into your wedding celebration? Will you have multiple events, special foods or religious/spiritual rites? Leave a comment and let me know your ideas.

Real Wedding Day Inspiration - Asmi and Ameer

Hello dear readers! I hope you've had a lovely weekend and are ready to dive into the week ahead. The week's Real Wedding Day Inspiration is courtesy of the fabulous New York wedding photographers AGAiMAGES. As you may have guessed, I am a huge fan of culturally significant weddings. I adore the attention to detail, the marriage of past and present and the sheer exuberance of the celebration. Our couple, Asmi and Ameer, incorporated their Pakistani heritage in both their wedding ceremony which was held at Cipriani as well as the mehendi ceremony we will feature on Wednesday.

Our love birds, Asmi and Ameer
Beauty time with the bride
I love the grandness of these flowers
gumpaste flowers on the cake and the wedding florals. Notice how the arrangement stretches with the curly willow to capitalize on the high ceilings of the venue.
The bride's henna'd hands. I don't know if you've ever had your hands painted with henna but it is quite a lengthy process so I can appreciate the design's details. Also, look at the stone work of Asmi's ensemble. Talk about sparkle.
A lovely mother/daughter moment
What strikes me most about this image is the guest's colorful attire.
Asmi is a gorgeous bride, the craftmanship of her wedding ensemble is breath-taking. I love that she chose to wear a color outside of white/ivory.
The happy couple exchanging rings.
The new Mr & Mrs
The reception area before guest arrivals. Each centerpiece is individually lit, showcasing it's beauty. Lighting is an important part of the overall look of an event.
The newlyweds first dance.
Ameer looks so happy. That's how one should feel on their wedding day.
Look at this guest's colorful dress. The gentleman on the right, love his tie. Perfect shade of bridal pink.
An adorable party goer
It's party time!

Be sure to visit us again on Wednesday for the mehendi ceremony. Asmi and Ameer's wedding was color and vibrant. What will your color pallette be? Will you incorporate lighting into your budget? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

Say It With A Picture - The Design Process

My dear readers, I hope you are enjoying your weekend. It's a little chilly here in Richmond and has been raining off and on all day, perfect blogging weather! I received an email recently from a reader (Hi there, Angela!) who was having a bit of a problem conveying her design ideas to her florist. My response: say it with a picture! They're worth a thousand words and will definitely ensure you and your team of vendors are on the same page. Inspiration boards are a key piece of our design process at Dawn Easter Events.

A floral design client getting married in May sent this picture as inspiration for their centerpieces. The bride liked the round fullness of this pomander. The chosen color scheme is shades of pink, gray and white.

Here is the design I came up with. The larger size emphasizes the fullness she wanted as well as incorporating a mix of flowers adds visual interest and texture. I think the mini calla lilies in the bottom of the vase round out the design rather nicely.

My clients were very happy with the mockup I presented today. I have a few other details up my sleeve to add a dash of pizzazz. Can't wait until the wedding! It's going to be beautiful. I'll be sure to post pictures.

Real Wedding Day Inspiration - Liara and Antonio Part1

Well hello there, dear readers! I hope you all had a lovely weekend and are ready for our next Real Wedding Day Inspiration. This beautiful wedding was shot by the one and only Elizabeth Messina of Kiss The Groom. Elizabeth's work is absolutely gorgeous and emotive. She has a way of capturing an image that seems to invoke a time gone by.(You can read our interview with her here.)Our lovely couple, NBA star Antonio McDyess and his lovely bride, Liara. Their destination wedding was held at the incredible Cuixmala in Mexico.
It's just something about the shoes that set the tone for the day.
I love how light and airy her bouquet feels.
You get the same feeling seeing her dress highlighted this way.
The stunning Liara
The dashing Antonio

The happy couple after their "I Do's"
See how the light and airy feeling has carried over to the tablescape?

Very soft and romantic

The lanterns are amazing and set just the right tone
The resort is gorgeous at night
The romance of this shot gets me every time.

The planner, Lisa Vorce of Oh How Charming! did a wonderful job pulling all of the details together. More of the incredible details later in the week! Be sure to let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment. What piece of this wedding would you use? How would you tweak it to make it your own?

Real Wedding Day Inspiration - Meredith and Chris

Happy Monday, dear readers! I am so excited to bring you the next installment of our Real Wedding Day Inspiration series. Today's wedding couple, Meredith and Chris of Chicago, was photographed by the incredibly talented, Paula and Mike Luna of lunaphoto. Being a true city wedding, the celebration was unique with a lunch reception at TRU followed by a nighttime dance party. I loved the sophisticated, chic design. Enjoy!
I adore these pumps, very smart.
The callas really bring the drama to this bouquet. The color is so rich amd deep. Notice how Meredith's makeup pallette echos the same richness.
The dapper groom, Chris
The bride all ready to go.
First glance meeting before the I Do's.
I included this shot of the city and restaurant because it paired nicely with the tone of the wedding. Plus that banquet's color is most striking!
Notice how the restaurant's decor and presentation flowed so smoothly; very modern and chic. The sentiments of the wedding are carried over in every detail. That attention to detail makes for an incredible experience.
Doesn't Meredith look as if she could have stepped out of a movie? Simply gorgeous.
Great shot capturing the energy and movement of the city.
Notice her minimalist approach to jewerly? Nothing is overdone to compete, less is more.
Love the engagement ring on the turntable. (Did you notice the size of that rock? Chris did a great job!)
Letting loose on the dance floor.
Capturing this shot in b&w, adds that touch of glamour. Her smile is so radiant.