Finishing Touch is Thankful For....

...beautiful creations. Like this, once again amazing, Amy Atlas design. She created this dessert buffet for her own Thanksgiving celebration and it is absolutely adorable!
Enjoy your turkey and dressing! Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Classic Southern Inspiration Board

I've just finished Shea's Classic Southern Inspiration board for her wedding in August 2010!

When I met with her, she showed me a beautiful photo of a centerpiece made of branches, roses, hydrangeas, and hanging votives. This centerpiece will set the stage for the rest of her wedding decor. She also mentioned that her fiance, Brandon, is a southern boy and that they'd like a traditional southern wedding.

So, that's what they're going to get! I've used Shea's ideas and have infused the inspiration board with southern style by using vintage milk glass vases, rosemary in the flower arrangements, and lots of candle light and lace. It will be absolutely beautiful.

top, left: invitation suite via Style Me Pretty.

top, center: Mantilla veil from Rohm.
top, right: olive green clutch from Angee W.
2nd row, left: Impressions olive bridesmaid dress.
2nd row, left center: candles inside hurricanes covered with lace, source unknown.
2nd row, right center: white rose boutonniere accented with rosemary, via the Knot.
2nd row, right: the chapel at Garvan Gardens
3rd row, left center: beautiful ivory cake covered in fondant and finished with pearl ribbon and sugar flower, via the Knot.
3rd row, right center: calla lily bouquet wrapped in satin ribbon and finished with rhinestone embellishment, via the Knot.
3rd row, right: hand tied ranunculus bouquet, via the Knot.
4th row, left: vintage milk glass, via Flights of Fancy.
4th row, center: footed vintage milk glass bowl filled with hydrangeas, roses, and greenery, via the Knot.
4th row, right: pave flower escort card display, via Style Me Pretty. See cake stand by Finishing Touch here.
5th row, left: indoor tent of globe lights by Finishing Touch.
5th row, center: custom ring bearer pillow from Paloma's Nest.
5th row, right: centerpiece made of manzanita branches, curly willow branches, orchids, and hanging votives, source unknown.
6th row, left: white paper lanterns hung over dance floor, source unknown.

Invitation Rivalry from Sincerely Yours

In the spirit of the big game this weekend between the Arkansas Razorbacks and LSU Tigers, I thought this post was fitting!

Amy Hannon of Sincerely Yours Paper, Inc created a fantastic invitation for a bride's rehearsal dinner this past weekend. They had a tailgate themed dinner and because half of the guests are LSU fans and the other half Razorback fans, she designed a two sided invitation that is perfection!
It conveys the fun atmosphere of a tailgate party and relays instructions for the guests to come dressed in their team colors. These invitations were designed with clever wording and a fun design.

If you're looking for something in this style for a rehearsal dinner or for any party, give Amy @ Sincerely Yours a call!

Let the Wild Rumpus Start!

Lydia and Joshua are turning 3! And to celebrate, we threw an amazing Where the Wild Things Are party based on the children's book by Maurice Sendak.

To keep the party from being cheesy, we gathered inspiration from the book rather than taking everything directly from it. To accomplish this, we used a jungle background for the invitations and took fonts and quotes straight out of the book. We also used lots of animal prints in the decor and created a jungle like feeling by bringing in trees and plants and draping streamers adorned with fabric leaves over the doorways. It was a truly magical party!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the day:

The popcorn bar was a huge hit! We made the display of treat cones trimmed with fabric and ribbon. The kids added to their popcorn a variety of toppings, including M&Ms, caramel, melted butter, grated cheese, and much more!
For a DIY tutorial on the cones, go to our previous post.

The children listened to the classic story at the beginning of the party.

They were each given a paper mask to make them a Wild Thing for the day! "They roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth!"
*Comment with your email address if you'd like the template for these masks.

The adorable Wild Thing Cake from Confectionately Yours.

Along with this Where the Wild Things Are coloring book, each guest took home Hershey Bars with custom "I'll eat you up. I love you so" wrappers.

The kids also played "Pin the Tail On Max" using a fantastic felt display complete with a hand drawn Max and fur tail.

The party was a huge success. The birthday girl and birthday boy wore their very own fur trimmed crowns and fur tails as they ruled over all of the Wild Things for the day! Their friends loved the story and had a great time pinning the tail on Max. It could not have been any more adorable!

To see more pictures from the party, go to the gallery on our website.

Tasty Fillers

When designing a dessert bar, candy buffet, or treat cone display, think about what you'll use as filler. What will your treats be displayed in?
White Thread suggests you extend the tasty treats and use them as filler too. I love the effect...
In fact, we'll be using this suggestion this weekend for treat cones for a 3rd birthday party! Photos will be posted next week.

"Just Married"

Some of the best photos of the night come from the bride and groom's get away. To make these really special, don't forget the "just married" sign.
For this, there are countless options! Here are a few great examples from Green Wedding Shoes...
Or you can opt for the window decal (Kinko's/FedEx Office makes these for a very good price) which is always elegant:
If you'd like to make your own to go along with your wedding decor, Kelly from Santa Barbara Chic has just posted her "how to" for a simple, but beautiful design.

Instructions:
1. Use the same paper that is used in paper products throughout the wedding, and a ribbon that coordinates with the wedding colors.
2. Simply print one large letter per sheet in the font used for invitations, programs, or monograms.
- the size is up to you, we suggest 5 x 8 inches.
3. Using an x-acto knife, cut a slit approximately 1/2 an inch down from the top and 1/2 an inch from each side.
-The slit should be the same length as the chosen ribbon is wide.
4. Slide each letter onto the ribbon until all are in place.
5. Affix to car.

And, finito....
A classy "just married" sign that fits in perfectly with the rest of your wedding decor!

New Gallery Added: Yuhan & Chris

Thank you to Lori Sparkman for the beautiful images of Yuhan & Chris's October wedding. I've just added their gallery to our website, and you must go look at this beautiful bride!
Here are a few of my favorite photos from the wedding of Yuhan & Chris:

the beautiful Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Conway

My absolute favorite of all of the day's photographs. I love the soft light, the beautiful shapes, the blurry reflection, the black & white. This image is perfection!!

The bride and her father walking down the aisle with the gorgeous vaulted ceiling above.

These sweet moments during the ceremony are priceless.

To honor the bride's heritage, Yuhan & Chris had a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony during their reception. This is the beautiful flowering tea.

For more photos of this gorgeous day, visit our website. And for more information about Yuhan & Chris's vendors and details of their day, check out the previous blog post about their wedding.

Thanks again to Lori Sparkman Photography for the beautiful images!