Contemporary Elegance at the Fort Garry Hotel
Out of the Ordinary ~ Artistic ~ Sculptural
Victoria is an incredibly chic person, and it’s very easy to tell: effortless cool girl vibes, with a strong fashion eye and an artful perspective. So unsurprisingly, she had a good idea of what she wanted their wedding to look like, but needed to know what was realistic and possible within their budget and professional suggestions about flower types and styles we could do.
She asked me to design a creative, Chateau Marmont-inspired ambiance, with a contemporary and elegant feel. We decided that some elements would be minimalistic yet elevated, and other elements would be dramatic and sculptural.
This wedding is the perfect example of what can happen when you communicate your vision, and then trust the professionals you’re working with to interpret it and make it happen just for you. Let’s dig in!
Photos by Michael & Melanie
The Bridal Bouquet
Victoria’s vision for her bridal bouquet was clear from the start: she loved the look of long stemmed white calla lilies. The bouquet was large (those callas are thick!) but the clean lines and simplicity of design meant that her sleek dress could take centre stage. The bouquet was an accent, not the main show.
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: long stemmed white calla lilies.
The Ceremony
We didn’t want nor need a lot at the ceremony, but we did want a pair of large urns that would tie together their sculptural, modern floral style with the classic design of the church. Lime smokebush, white and emerald green hydrangea, bells of Ireland, and long stemmed white calla lilies were the perfect choices. These were later repurposed to the reception bar.
“It was an absolute pleasure working with Lauren and the team at Stone House Creative for our wedding. When I originally approached them, we had ideas in mind of the aesthetic we wanted but had no idea which florals or arrangements could work within our budget. Lauren produced such a thoughtful proposal taking all of our notes in consideration and worked with us to achieve a beautiful vision within our budget, and even provided extra decor recommendations that made the planning so much easier. She also went above and beyond and created a layout for our reception that we ended up going with because it worked so perfectly with the setting we wanted to create. All of the details were perfect. Everything from the table settings, to the bouquets were exactly what we wanted, and the setup and takedown of everything was seamless. Lauren also provided timely responses to all of our inquiries, which is always appreciated when planning such a big event! I 100% recommend Stone House Creative for your next event!” - Victoria and Stefan
The Reception
Florals on the tables were where we played with that balance of elevated minimalism. The round tables featured a lush, mounded and modern floral arrangement that spilled over the sides of its vase and was paired with a duo of tall taper candles.
On the long banquet tables, I focused on contemporary and minimalist clear glass cylinder vases moving down the table at different heights, with single stems of phalaenopsis orchids and anthurium. These were interspersed with a low, mounded arrangement of hydrangea and trailing green amaranthus. I added in low votive candles and suggested we add in Collective’s black table lamps and elevated candle stands, and Pinnacle’s black bentwood chairs.
With these elements, we achieved that modern sculptural airiness, with that hit of modern chartreuse, and that overall elevated minimalistic look.
The entrance
Situated inside the ballroom doors, we started with an eye-catching welcome and seating display. I loved the idea of creating an art gallery-inspired collection of mirrored plinths, setting some with sculptural florals and draped fabric and the others with seating assignments. You can see my original ideas below!
We used more of the lime smokebush and green amaranthus here, tucking in a few trailing orchid stems, some delicious locally grown white lisianthus, lots of mounded hydrangea, and our favourite focal flower, the long stemmed white calla.
I don’t normally get involved with things like the floor plan, aside from maybe offering a suggestion or two. But with Victoria’s vision for the wedding, and a smaller guest list that wouldn’t take up the entire room, I had a pretty clear idea of a table layout that would work really well and I couldn’t restrain myself from pitching it to her (see above!).
With the contrast of minimalistic design with a few dramatic moments in mind, and knowing that their dance floor would be packed, I saw the room in three distinct spaces: the dinner space, the dance space, and the desserts and lounge space. Budget constraints saw the lounge idea eliminated, which is perfectly fine! Not every wedding needs to have every single detail, right?
I loved having the dinner tables all together, not separated by the dance floor. Sometimes when we put the dance floor in the middle of the room, it causes a shift in the atmosphere. This felt really good. And, as the couple didn’t want a formal head table but instead wanted to sit in amongst their guests, the layout added to a more intimate and guest-forward atmosphere.
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
Getting married at The White Poplar? We happen to know the space REALLY well, and in our completely biased opinion, we’re the best at bringing the space to life 😎
At Stone House Creative, florals are crafted in harmony with the surrounding space, bringing balance, atmosphere, and a quietly elevated feel to your celebration.