Truth time: Sometimes we get these engagement sessions and straight-up envy the charmed Instagram-worthy lives the couples seem to live. And Kaitlin and Allan’s shots could do just that. But....
When Lynn Easton and Augusta Cole of Easton Events brainstormed their cure for the common cake table, they recruited a tried-and-true favorite: the bookshelf. “Bookshelves,” says Lynn, “are a fabulous decorative element. They can add height and interest behind a bar, divide furniture groupings in a reception, and fill any empty space when you place candles and florals on them.” Here, Lynn and Augusta took the idea a step further when they backed a rustic set of shelves from Barnwood Bar Rentals with patterned wallpaper from Anthropologie. “Adding paper redefined the rental,” says Lynn. “The cake deserved a beautiful backdrop so we reinterpreted a classic idea in a fresh way.”
CASE IN POINT
(above) Here’s an easy way to either create a wall or camouflage a wall that could use a pick-me-up. Cut foam core in the same dimensions as the bookcase to create a backing. Lay out strips of wallpaper so that the pattern is neatly aligned. (Order extra paper as this matching step will necessitate it.) Tape the strips together on the blank side, then affix the joined paper to the foam core with a staple gun along the outermost edges. Nail to the backside of the bookshelves. Place cake, like this confection from Ashley Bakery, on table in front of the decorated shelves.
FLOWER POWER
(above) “Repurposing bouquets into beautiful arrangements is a resourceful and simple trick,” says Lynn. She suggests starting with loose and unstructured bouquets so that when you place them into vessels after the ceremony, the blooms will look naturally situated. To convert a bouquet into an arrangement, simply snip its stems with strong floral scissors to a height that suits your vessel. “Use containers that are bottom-heavy so they can support the weight of the flowers,” advises Lynn. These verdant bouquets by Sara York Grimshaw Designs slipped easily into footed brass vessels.
A GOOD SIGN
(above) A drawer pull from Anthropologie acted as the stand for this handmade cake sign by Dulles Designs. To achieve this effect, punch a hole at the base of a card stock sign, then run the drawer pull’s post through the hole. Screw the nut onto the post then place the sign where you’d like to display it.
GOLD-KISSED
(above) Given the wallpaper’s intricate design and the overflowing florals, opting for a simply dressed cake and cake table kept this setting elegant. Hayden Campbell of Ashley Bakery thus covered a multi-tiered cake in fondant tinted pale pink (to correspond with the dahlias) and brushed on gold bands to call the brass décor elements to mind.
Birdcage, China, & Rug: Ooh! Events, www.outofhand.com
Bookshelves: Barnwood Bar Rentals, (609) 287-0590, www.facebook.com
Cake & Cake Stand: Ashley Bakery, www.ashleybakery.com
Cake Fork: Geo. Birlant & Co., www.birlant.com
Curtains: Boutique Tents, www.boutiquetents.com
Curtain Stand: Snyder Event Rentals, www.snyderevents.com
Event Designer: Easton Events, www.eastonevents.com
Flowers, Floral Vessels, Votives: Sara York Grimshaw Designs, www.sygdesigns.com
Ribbon: Hanah Silk, www.hanahsilk.com
Table Linens: Festive Fare, www.festivefarerentals.com
Signage: Dulles Designs, www.dullesdesigns.com
Wallpaper & Drawer Pull: Anthropologie, www.anthropologie.com
