The Art of Flower Making!

Tonight I attended a fabulous collaboration of an event at Juliska in Vineyard Haven, who teamed up with the cool gals at MV Florist...showing us their fancy tips and tricks of flower arranging.  If you're not familiar with Juliska on Martha's Vineyard, you should definitely become acquainted!  Their fancy tableware will have you ooohing and aaahhing all day long.  They are a beautiful store for a bridal registry and they were a fantastic host for this event.  My Wedding Studio gals, Marisa and Jessica, also attended the event with me and we had an absolute blast!

Our first demo used lots of beautiful roses...in this gorgeous white Juliska vase.

The middle arrangement was beautifully and simply done....in a classic and clear Juliska vase.

Some Tips We Learned Tonight (thank you Marisa for taking notes!):

*Arrangement's height should coincide with the container's height

*Use straight stems in the center and let the bent ones flow over the sides

*Start the arrangement with green filler, so that it can hold all the flowers in place

*Remember to turn the vase as you arrange and to look at the floral arrangement from a seated position if its for a table top

 

 

Our fabulous Juliska and MV Florist hosts, thank you for a great evening!

We had some time to browse after the demo and before we made our own flower arrangements...love this crystal gem and the decorative flags, just screamed Olympics!

I'm a sucker for books....especially when they have "Sweet" and "Cake" in the titles!

Welcome to Martha's Vineyard.

Okay, listen to me closely!!!  You need to pick up one of these numbers at MV Florist's retail shop in Edgartown immediately!  Well, at least during store hours of course!  This little jar contains candied hibiscus flowers, that are delicious!  They served them to us in the bottom of a champagne glass...poured the champagne over it and it was gorgeous!  Gave the champagne a pink tint, added a little sweetness and it was elegant and delish'!  For only $8, you need to go stock up and then have your friends over for a glass.

Get very familiar with these friendly faces!  My staff of two...and event professionals in their own right, I'd be lost and overwhelmed without them!  Jessica Barker on the left and Marisa Walsh on the right....are now seasoned florists!(Well, almost!)

 

 

 

 

This was my very own flower arranging creation and I love it!  I may be an amateur, but it sure looked good to me!

 Good times on the Vineyard....A great time for Martha's Vineyard Wedding Studio gals.

White Weddings and Parties

This week I asked everyone for some color ideas for my 2014 Vow Renewal Celebration.  When I got married, I knew what I wanted....how I wanted it and what color scheme I'd be using.  For my Renewal Celebration, I am starting early and with a clean slate.  I loved planning my wedding and I love helping others plan theirs.  But for this occasion, I want input....and I want lots of it!  I want to be influenced and I want to be inspired.  I'm even giving away $50 gift certificates for fabulous ideas!  My first gift certificate goes out to Ayasha T. from Florida!  She gave me three awesome theme ideas, and although I liked them all, the one I liked the most was "The White Party".  If you are not familiar with what that is, it is when everyone, all guests included, dress in white.  The decor and accents are white and there are many, many directions and additions to go with it!  So, I'm making it official.  The Vow Renewal Celebration will be a "White Party", now give me some great ideas to put it all together and make it sparkle!!  Romantic, chic, stylish and sexy....

Love the white furniture and bling I found on Love Your Place!

White flowers?  Endless possibilities indeed...

What is a White Party?
A White Party is a theme party where everyone wears ALL White.

The idea is that guests come dressed all in white, within a white environment, creating a sense of unity. There's always great music and the strong identification of the guests with each other and their surroundings has made the White Party one of the most popular entertainment events in the US today.

My Martha's Vineyard Wedding...

It's official, I just set a date for the renewal of my vows!  Every five years I "vowed" that I (or should I say we?") will renew our vows and have a celebration of love to keep the fire burning and celebrate with family, old and new friends...and well, it's also a great excuse for a party!  I can buy a new dress, switch up my colors, flowers, new trends and take lots of pictures along the way to share for a lifetime.  I may never do it as big as I did the first time (weddings can be expensive!) but I'll do it a different way each time, that I can guarantee.  As I start planning my June 2014 renewal party, I'll be sure to keep you posted and share all of my ideas and inspiration along the way.  Meanwhile...here's a little recap from my wedding day....along with the fabulous resources I was lucky enough to have!  My colors were Aqua (also my business color) white and chocolate brown.

Me and the love of my life...all photos by one of Martha's Vineyard's best photographers Nicole Friedler Photography!

Perhaps regarded as the most romantic Inn on Martha's Vineyard, I wouldn't have wanted to marry anywhere else!

Lambert's Cove Inn will always have a place in my heart.  Everyone awaiting my walk down the garden aisle.

The Jon Bates Band kept my entire guest list moving and shaking and smiling all day and night long.

Umbrellas, just for the girls....and just for the pictures, loved them!

Escort cards were attached to tiny branches in coffee beans....love me some coffee and they smelled heavenly!

My half eaten candy bar, which was also our wedding favors.  In Aqua, white and chocolate of course!

In love with these NAPKINS! One of my favorite elements for sure.  This table we named after our favorite show Seinfeld!

NOW what?  Now I have a lot of planning to do for my next celebration!!  And I want everyone's ideas and help!  I'll be making another "formal" announcement later, but what I want is everyone's input....ideas you love, pictures from your own wedding perhaps, a Pinterest pin that you adore, something out of a magazine...lots of inspiration for my Renewal Celebration!  I'm looking for all the details...colors, flowers, favors, stationary....you name it.  Every month from now until June 2014, I will be giving away a $50 gift certificate for services from a Wedding Studio vendor or any Martha's Vineyard business of my choice to ANYONE who makes a suggestion or gives an idea that I decide I WILL use for my next Big Day!  Just leave a message on my blog or on the Wedding Studio Facebook Page and email me your email address....that's it!  I'm so excited!! ~~  www.mvweddingstudio.com ~~

Oh Sure, I Can Make That...

Who doesn't watch Ace of Cakes or Cupcake Wars?  Ever feel like you could be the next rising star?  OH, I watch and love both baking shows, amongst many others....but you're NOT going to see a cake shaped into anything but the pan it came out of from me!  I'm a big Looney Toons fan (especially Bugsy) and love this Taz cake from Moments That Shine!

Got A Sweet Tooth...

You know how it goes, you always want something sweet when you're not supposed to have it.  Oh, but life is too short! If you can't eat it (right now) then at least admire the art of a fabulous cupcake every once in a while...and to well, maybe just keep it bookmarked for when that moment strikes.

What a simple recipe with outstanding results!  The best of both worlds, really!?  A cupcake cookie combo?  Take me now, I tell ya'.  I know you want the recipe and you won't believe how easy it is...because it's kind of like one of those Sandra Lee recipes....it's Semi-Homemade!  A box mix, a little of this and a little of that and you've got this!  Find the recipe with great tips over at Playing With Sugar.

Will you be my bridesmaid?

Unlike what you see on the series Bridezillas, being asked to be a bridesmaid is a great honor when your dear friend or sister asks...but it can also be a lot of work, responsibility and cost a little bit of money that you weren't planning on spending.  So in reality...the bridesmaid shouldn't be kissing any bridal booty...the bride should be the one doing the kissing if she wants the support and the pictures she's always dreamed of!  Loved these bridesmaid note cards I found on Paper Source.  What better way to ask your dearest friend to put her life on hold from the moment you said "yes"...to the moment you say "I do"?!

Year Of The Dragon "Fortune Cookies"

It's official, I'm now Peter Callahan's biggest fan.  These Spicy Chicken "fortune cookies" look to die for!  I adore the presentation of course, but most importantly....how can I make them myself?  Oh Peter dear, I am on a new quest to figure that one out.  Meanwhile I'll order a batch from you and crack open a bottle of wine to wash it down with.  Are you celebrating the Chinese New Year?  This might just be the way to ring it in....

Oh and here's the New York Times article talking about these wonderful treats! Yummy.

Jelly Flowers!

MV Florist & Gifts has a way with flowers.  I fell in love with these Jelly beauties as soon as I saw them.  Lining a classic Edgartown, MA street that's already adorned with beautiful white shingled homes overlooking the ocean and a lighthouse... how can you not love these beauties?  A nice twist from your typical Japanese lantern, although I always have a place in my heart for that "typical" Japanese lantern of course.

Pretty Pink Valentine

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I've been contemplating some entertaining ideas for what I call a ladies "Wines and Valentines" get together at my home.  As I start to plan and seek some Cupid inspiration, I happened upon Amy Atlas' Valentine dessert table and fell in love!  Everyone knows that we eat with our eyes first, which is why it's super important to make everything look appealing for your guests.  Not to mention give them something to talk and brag about!  We should take a step back and admire before we go ahead and dig right in.  That's always something I strive to do first when entertaining...and I simply love this little pink table.

For The Love of Goat Cheese!

Sometimes you just find that one thing, on that one particular day, that you simply must have!  Oh for the love of goat cheese!  Toss it in a salad, bread it and fry it or throw it in some quiche.  Doesn't matter much to me, really.  Here, I happened upon an outstanding recipe from Bon Apetit via Epicurious that's bound to make it on to the table of my next soiree!  Enjoy....


Oven Dried Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese & Olives

yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

Oven-drying the tomatoes before baking the tart concentrates their sweetness and prevents juices from softening the filling.This makes a great summer starter, light lunch, or supper. What to drink: A glass of dry rosé to echo the Provençal flavors of the tart, or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 6 medium tomatoes or large romas, cored, halved crosswise, seeded
• 2 small garlic cloves, thinly slivered
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme, divided

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed

• 1 cup coarsely grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup soft fresh goat cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/3 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; brush foil with 1 tablespoon oil. Place tomato halves, cut side up, on baking sheet. Sprinkle garlic and 1 tablespoon thyme over tomatoes; drizzle remaining 1/4 cup oil over. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake until tomatoes begin to shrink and are slightly dried but still soft, about 2 hours. Cool tomatoes on sheet. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store in single layer in covered container in refrigerator.)

Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface to 13-inch square. Transfer pastry to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom, pressing pastry firmly onto bottom and sides of pan. Trim overhang to 3/4 inch. Fold overhang in and press, pushing crust 1/4 inch above pan. Pierce crust all over with fork; chill 30 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Line pastry with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans; bake until crust edges are golden, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 12 minutes longer. Cool crust 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Meanwhile, using fork, mash mozzarella cheese, goat cheese, and remaining 1 tablespoon thyme together in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add eggs and cream and stir until mixture is well blended. Spread cheese filling evenly in crust. Arrange tomato halves in filling, cut side up. Place olives between tomatoes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over top. Bake until filling is puffed and set, about 35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Push up pan bottom, releasing sides. Serve tart warm.

Soiree Girl...

It's almost Fall, my favorite time of year!  The air is crisp, I break out my favorite sweaters and high heeled boots, while planning a trip to go apple picking!  Not to mention dusting off my favorite recipes from last year and delicately ripping out new ones from my favorite cooking magazines.  Fall, and the holiday season that follows... is a time for comfort, getting together with friends and family and certainly my favorite time of year for entertaining and throwing dinner parties!

There couldn't be a better time than now to introduce you to the Martha's Vineyard Wedding Studio's newest face, our Soiree Girl.  Designed by our favorite graphic designer, Patti at Easton Place Designs- She is the face of our events focus, "Soiree on Martha's Vineyard". Soiree Girl, like our Sassy Bride, will adorn almost everything you can get your hands on.  As we create our online store, let us know what type of clothing, accessories and stationary that you'd like to see them on!!

Soiree on Martha's Vineyard...or anywhere you'd like!

She's confident, she's a great cook and she's the hostess with the mostess.  Her dinner parties are elegant and delicious and you'll never want to decline an invitation to one of her soirees.  She's a Vineyard gal who never losing sight of her glass of wine, with her favorite blue Martha's Vineyard charm.  Will you be on her next dinner guest list?

Sassy Brides and Soirees...

The Wedding Studio has been busier than I ever expected and it's been wayyyy too long since my last blog post! 

A couple of things that I couldn't be more excited about; the Martha's Vineyard Wedding Studio's "Sassy Bride" is here!  She's classy, she's confident, she knows she's marrying (or has already married) her soul mate- she's a true Vineyard bride adorned with a Vineyard charm on her headband and the hand on her hip simply says it all! You will soon be able to find her on gorgeous tote bags, wedding planning binders, notebooks, coffee-mugs and women's apparel.  We'll have some product in-house at the Studio including some gorgeous note cards and stationary and the remainder available online.  Interested in a Sassy custom order?  Just shoot me an email!

Martha's Vineyard Wedding Studio's "Sassy Bride":

Our dark haired beauty...

Our brown haired beauty...

Our Blonde Bombshell Bride...

Our Sassy Red Head...

I am very excited to also introduce to you our lovely, chic and oh-so-stylish Pride Bride:

One Love

 In addition to our Sassy Vineyard Bride, we have a non-bridal....sophisticated, wine savvy, dinner hostess extraordinaire being created as we speak!  Our "Soiree Girl" will represent the Events aspect of the Wedding Studio, one that is growing along side the bridal, every single day.  But I'll elaborate a little more on that in another post!

And last but certainly not least, a big thank you and round of applause to one of our Studio Members, Patti Wunder, owner of Easton Place Designs !  My logo, website, stationary, sassy and soiree designer- her talent is extraordinary.  Need a design for your wedding, event or business?  She will knock your socks off!

India~~

Grand Opening!

The Martha's Vineyard Wedding Studio had their Grand Opening on Saturday, July 30th and it was a blast!  We indulged in champagne and the 3 amazing flavors of cupcakes provided by Something Sweet by Kim Garrison.  We took fun pictures in Paul Donnelly's Photo Booth and everyone danced or bobbed their head to the music played by R&B Entertainment.  And the networking, there was tons of it!  I met people who's names I finally matched with faces, and I met some amazing, talented and creative folk who's product or services would be a great addition to any wedding or event.  Everyone networked, exchanged business cards and the Studio Members that were in attendance were greeting new faces with warm introductions.  I couldn't have asked for more.  There were beautiful table top and gift registry displays by Le'legance and the Studio was outfitted with wonderful displays by our Members.  Although I was a bit tied up to take pictures during the event, I had a chance to take some before it all began....

MV Florist & Gifts- Stunning Portfolio & Flower Arrangement

How about gift bags for your next event?  Vineyard Tide-ings has got you covered!

L.A. Brown Photography always captures the essence and joy of any event!

Nicole Friedler Photography makes any photo session fun, relaxing and in the end, superb!

Something Sweet by Kim Garrison's faux cake beautifies the Studio amongst lots of inspiring reading material.

Studio Couch, Inspiration Board and little blue touches awaiting our guests...

Vineyard Maide Gift Baskets....everything your guests will enjoy and remember.

I'm in love with these branches!  Than you Lynda Dandeneau for these glorious branches, they fit right in!

Elegant, yet comfortable...The Studio's for relaxing and enjoying.

Have you eaten at the MV Chowder Company lately?  Amazing food, not to mention they will be home to the biggest indoor reception space on the Vineyard!  Can't wait to see the upstairs when JB's done with it!

This is my kind of bird cage...no clean-up necessary!

A great big shout out to our newest Studio Members! We'll be updating the website regularly, so keep an eye out for all of our amazing resources and more Studio Events to come!

Did you miss our Grand Opening?  Come hang out with us On Thursday August 4th from 6-8pm....more cupcakes, champagne, good conversation, networking, laughter and good times in the Martha's Vineyard Wedding Studio!