Make Your Wedding Cake a Focal Point
My wedding design philosophy centres around creating focal design moments that will be memorable, interactive, and highly photographed. These are also where you’ll end up investing chunks of your budget. Choosing to invest in focal moments helps ensure that you’re not going to blow your budget overall by spending on every little thing, but rather giving your spending a focus.
i know people have their ups and downs with wedding cakes and whether they’re a priority or not. in my mind, it comes down to this: if you’re going to invest in a wedding cake, then make 👏🏻 it 👏🏻 a 👏🏻 Moment 👏🏻
If you’re going to invest in a wedding cake, then MAKE IT A MOMENT.
Madeline Kate Photography
My wedding design philosophy centres around creating focal design moments that will be memorable, interactive, and highly photographed. These are also where you’ll end up investing chunks of your budget. Choosing to invest in focal moments helps ensure that you’re not going to blow your budget overall by spending on every little thing, but rather giving your spending a focus.
i know people have their ups and downs with wedding cakes and whether they’re a priority or not. in my mind, it comes down to this: if you’re going to invest in a wedding cake, then make 👏🏻 it 👏🏻 a 👏🏻 Moment 👏🏻
AKA, let’s make some floral magic happen.
Looking for more? I’ve also created a Pinterest Board rounding up some amazing wedding cake focal moment designs. Check that out right here!
Fresh Florals + Sugar Flowers = CAKE LOVE
Alright, so I’m pretty confident that I’ve never seen a more gorgeous wedding cake than this one. Everything about it was divine, but just overall the way Jenna styled the fresh florals with sugar flowers and fruit was just glorious. Totally, totally glorious. It took centre stage on an equally beautiful dessert table and we didn’t add any extra major floral moments, because the cake itself was perfection.
Of course you’ll want to see this entire wedding at The White Poplar, which you can find here.
Little Cake, Big Style
This was just a simple Baked Expectations carrot cake but we really went for it on the flowers. This was a completely floral foam-free cake surround — I don’t like foam ever, but I would never use it near a cake. It’s just straight up cancer chemical plastic…no bueno. So this was designed in mixed sizes of vases and little chicken wire rolls! Here’s a look at how we designed it!
Bonus: If you’re an interior design lover, then shop your home! This table is from Brenna’s living room and it was totally perfect.
Slide it Under the Arch
Well, this is one we’ll never forget! The ceremony arch was set up in the Concert Ballroom at the Fort Garry, and then dinner was in the Crystal Ballroom down the hallway. That gave the perfect amount of time to flip the ceremony space into an afterparty and slid the cake under the arch.
Hot dang you guys. The cake itself was a remarkable 6 tiered showstopper, and under this 12 foot tall arch, it was a SERIOUS moment.
See more from Karleigh and Matt’s luxurious Fort Garry Hotel wedding here!
Re-Using Your Ceremony Setting
If your ceremony and reception venues are in the same space, then you literally have to think no further than adding a cocktail table with a gorgeous linen to use as a cake table, and sliding that right under or in front of your ceremony floral feature.
Set at The Novella, this editorial shoot featured a super cute circular ceremony platform with a hanging floral installation above. It was a no-brainer to re-use this as the perfect setting for the gorgeous cake (but if it was your wedding, you’d probably want those ceremony chairs taken out!).
Pies and Flowers
So if you’re doing a dessert table of any kind (in this case, pies and donuts), you have the opportunity to make it a fun and interactive display, more than just a buffet line like you’d see at a social.
First, I love the way the treats are all displayed on various crates and cake plates to give height and visual appeal.
We added ground-based floral pieces to both sides of the table, kind of moving around the front of the table. Lots of movement and height, super textural, tying through the colour palette…it looked gorgeous, if I may say so myself.
If you’re doing large aisle pieces, this could be the perfect way to repurpose them!
See more from Stephanie and Tiff’s rainy fall wedding at Pineridge Hollow here!
Simple and Romantic
Even if your cake is on the simpler side, you don’t need to scrimp on style! The hand painted petal detailing on the cake was light and romantic, so we wanted to mimic that with a frilly petal design on the cake table itself.
This was also a cute way to fill the table, without adding a ton of cost to your budget! And of course, it also makes for a super pretty addition to those champagne tower pouring photos 😍
More coming from this editorial soon!
Summer Colour
I loved the juicy pops of colour on this cake! I wanted to create a partial floral surround and just load it full of colourful blooms, and I used a lot of locally grown deliciousness for it.
This is a great design if you’re opting for the traditional cake-cutting moment, because you’ve got easy-access to most of the cake but still have the eye-catching florals.
See the rest of this cute and colourful editorial here!
Rose Garden Vibes
Marisa requested a straight-up rose garden for her wedding cake. Ummm YOU GOT IT.
This would be another perfect way to repurpose those aisle flowers! You’ll just want to make sure that your floral designer and your wedding planner connect regarding the scale — the florals can’t be too low to the ground, the cake table can’t be too high, etc.!
See more from this lovely all-white wedding at St Charles Golf Course here!
looking for a wedding floral and event designer in winnipeg?
My 2024 bookings are now open!
Call me biased, but I think flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. I would love the creative challenge of taking your wedding vision and spinning it into a reality that you never could have dreamed of.
Wedding Colour Palettes Featuring Lilac
The fashion girlies are all wearing lilac this year, and we’re seeing that filter into your wedding palettes.
It can be tricky to use something so trendy in a fresh way. But, lucky for us, lilac is one of those shades that you can use in so many different ways to evoke a different design style. Here are some of my favourites!
Lilac is one of the big colour trends of the year, and lucky for us, there are so many different ways to use it!
The fashion girlies are all wearing lilac this year, and we’re seeing that filter into your wedding palettes.
Oftentimes, it can be tricky to use something so trendy in a fresh way. But, lucky for us, lilac is one of those shades that you can use in so many different ways to evoke a different design style. here are some of my favourites!
First things first: feeling stuck? One of my favourite places to find colour palette inspiration is in fabric. Take a look below and tell me you’re not inspired. Another way to find colour palettes that sing to you is in art! I love looking at abstract art and seeing how different shades and tones interact.
I’m keeping things easy here, with just a few colours in each of the palettes below. But, I often find that the most exhilarating palettes are those that are broad and bold, so don’t be afraid to take one of the ideas below as a starting point and then layer in other ideas. Don’t just go with 2 colours. We need to blend and create movement, mkay?
Lilac and Peach/Orange
This is undoubtedly one of my favourite combinations of the year. Whether you’re going a bit more subtle with the peach or you want to go bold with orange, these combinations pair so beautifully and feels juicy, fresh, and will legit make you crave candy.
Coral and raspberry are natural additions to this palete!
Floral Design by Native Poppy / See it all here
Stone House Creative / See it all here
Lilac with Pastel Blue and Pink
Pastels are always an easy go-to. If you’re inspired by all things feminine, ruffly, and delicate, then this is a natural choice for you. It works great in a ballroom setting, it works great in a garden setting. I’d love to see this paired with adorable butterflies (Golden Age Botanicals makes AMAZING ones you could tuck into your bouquet!!). K call me. I want to do this.
Floral Design by Native Poppy / See it all here
Lilac, Grey, and Peach
Another option if your style is naturally feminine, I love that this digs into the cool tones. You can have a lot of fun with smokey greys (these smoke glassware!) and them amping it up with metallic gold.
Lilac and Red
Modern, bold, chic. I need more of this in my life.
This is giving sleek, rock and roll, bold and fearless. It’s giving red lips and a feather dress. It’s giving a killer pair of heels.
Floral Design by Isibeal Studio / See it all here
Lilac with Gold and Olive
This one takes a more practised hand to oversee, but I think there’s a lot that can be done here. You’re going to need to do some really solid blending, bringing in other tones to make it work.
Floral Design: Stone House Creative / Photo: Aimee De La Lande
looking for a wedding floral and event designer in winnipeg?
We’ve got a small handful of 2023 dates remaining, and 2024 bookings are now open.
Call me biased, but I think flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. I would love the creative challenge of taking your wedding vision and spinning it into a reality that you never could have dreamed of.
Need help with your full event design? I’ll guide you through your colour palette selection, floor plan creation, and collaborate on all the design elements that will make your wedding YOURS. Full and partial event design services available.
My Favourite Wedding Seating Chart Ideas
What do I mean by marrying form with function? It’s pretty straightforward — your seating chart has a very important purpose: corral your guests and tell them where to go to avoid a chaotic dining experience. It’s also an opportunity to create an interactive design focal point that wows your guests while getting the job done.
The seating chart: the perfect place to marry form with function.
Madeline Kate Photography
What do I mean by marrying form with function?
It’s pretty straightforward — your seating chart has a very important purpose: Corral your guests and tell them where to go to avoid a chaotic dining experience. It’s also an opportunity to create an interactive design focal point that wows your guests while getting the job done.
Before we get started, a few tips on putting together your seating plan:
Order names alphabetically by last name, not by table number!
Ask your parents to help figure out their friends’ seating
Do away with the singles table
Whether you assign people to tables or to specific seats at tables, make it all REALLY clear
One more general piece of advice that seems common sense until you start going deep into design and you start to lose common sense: make it legible. Thin script fonts, clear acrylic or glass backdrops, too many mirrored elements all make it hard for your guests to actually read.
And now, let’s get into the pretty and inspirational! These are all from weddings I’ve designed the florals for in the past few years, and each was amazing for different reasons. Read on for more (And PS — if you’re newly engaged, congratulations! If you’re new here, welcome! I share a deep look into my real weddings, along with sharing planning advice and tips!).
Looking for more? I’ve also created a Pinterest Board rounding up some seating chart designs that recently caught my eye. Check that out right here!
Fun Colour Use
Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVED the way this bold seating display came together for Jess and Donny’s wedding a few years back.
Emily from Feast & Festivities is very detailed in her design planning, and she’s definitely not afraid of colour. Using this orange acrylic is just SO MUCH FUN, right? It also helps to make the names legible, as clear acrylic can make it pretty tricky to read.
The florals were all repurposed from the ceremony, and the staggered plinths takes this design from basic to extraordinary, while also being cost-effective!
As featured on Carats & Cake.
Arches and A Little Disney
This seating chart is simple but impactful. The repetition of the arched elements makes a big statement, pairing the seating chart (hung from a black arched frame) with an arched backdrop displaying their name a touch of Disney. Note that the names are arranged alphabetically! Woo!
There’s almost always an opportunity for some florals, but I definitely prefer a statement floral piece as opposed to “just a little something added to the sign.” If you’re not going to go big, then just go home — as in, don’t bother adding florals to your seating chart if the budget doesn’t support it. Adding a “little something” just adds up quickly without making an impact to the design and often just feels like unnecessary fluff.
See more from this wedding here!
Enter in Style
One of my design goals for Tiff and Steph’s tent wedding was to really bring the outdoors in, which was especially good as it rained most of the day. We designed this lush, delicious tent entrance and then nestled my seating chart base into it. Feast & Festivities put together the seating chart itself, and I just ADORE the magenta. It’s an unexpected colour pop, which really grabs everyone’s eyes and makes sure they can’t miss it.
Modern Base with Florals Added
I had this modern, clean white base custom-made for this wedding that I provided both florals and event design for. The seating chart itself was printed on a large piece of foam-core, and slid right into the base.
We positioned the seating chart at the entrance to the room in SNAC, which served to bring a little more purpose and presence to the cards table while welcoming everyone in.
I then designed this all-white floral piece to place on the ground in front of the seating chart base, and I was lucky to incorporate a lot of locally grown white lilac, which is one of the bride’s faves. More to come from this wedding soon!
Big, Bold, and Creative
This couple’s wedding was inspired by their love for Big White, the ski hill where they first met and shared their first NYE midnight kiss (adorable). So for their seating chart, they took inspiration from the ski runs, using it as a graphic backdrop for the chart itself. And instead of a typical seating chart, each guest’s name and photo was printed to look like a ski hill pass, and then clipped onto a custom lanyard. It was so creative!
I LOVE a good colour blocked floral moment. While it’s not right for every wedding or couple’s style, colour blocking your florals can make a big design moment feel even more impactful.
See more featured on Green Wedding Shoes!
Go for the Wow (and Fill Space!)
Everything about Karleigh and Matt’s wedding was a designer’s dream, and this seating display was certainly no exception.
In many venues, you’re really limited by the amount of space you have to work with. But here, we had the entire 7th floor of the Fort Garry Hotel, with the dinner in one ballroom and the party in the other, so the entire hallway served as a welcome and cocktail area, and that left a lot of space to add in a statement making seating display.
The plinths were a combination of clear acrylic and mirrored gold, which felt very glamorous and also allowed us to design some florals inside the pedestals, some outside, some on top.
See the entire wedding here for some more jaw-dropping design elements!
Cottage-Core Influence
My dear bride Brenna planned and designed her wedding and every element was a perfect reflection of her personal style. They created this backdrop that served to guide guests in to their backyard, added a guest book on their adorable console table, and the seating assignments were added to the pegboard backing, too. Multi-functional and tres adorable. Oh, and it hid the wood pile behind it!
I cannot wait to share more from this backyard wedding. In the meantime, take a look at this cutie reel showing their romantic ceremony setting.
Define Your Tent Entrance
If you’re hosting a tent wedding in the summer, chances are pretty good that you’ll have the walls open to bring in some fresh air. And if that’s the case, then it can be tricky to get your guests to enter from the correct spot, which could interfere with the serving staff or bartenders, cause people to trip over electrical wires, and so on. So, integrate your seating chart into a tent entrance design that defines the entryway.
This particular seating chart was super simple — just individual names with their table number hand-calligraphed and pinned onto a linen-wrapped board, and topped with a little greenery sprig!
If you’re looking for more tent wedding ideas, I’ve rounded up my top 5 tips for designing a beautiful tent wedding right here.
looking for a wedding floral and event designer in winnipeg?
We’ve got a small handful of 2023 dates remaining, and 2024 bookings are now open.
Call me biased, but I think flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. I would love the creative challenge of taking your wedding vision and spinning it into a reality that you never could have dreamed of.
2023 and 2024 Wedding Trends
When I wrote my trends post last year, I forecasted a lot of personalization, a lot of creativity, and a lot of couples doing things their own way.
And guess what? 2022 wedding couples took this all and totally ran wild with it.
I always love forecasting wedding trends, so here we go!
When I wrote my trends post last year, I forecasted a lot of personalization, a lot of creativity, and a lot of couples doing things their own way.
And Guess what? 2022 wedding couples took this all and totally ran wild with it. Honestly, last year’s weddings were so spectacular in so many ways that I have no idea how I’ll ever top that year, but I have a feeling that my 2023 couples are up for the challenge.
Before I jump into some of my favourite trends that I hope we’ll see in 2022 and 2023 weddings, here are a few things that are always at the top of my list:
Environmental Responsibility
Quality Over Quantity
Locally Grown Flowers
Doing Things Your Own Way
These are all things that I’d love to see you filter through your entire wedding planning!
And now, let’s get into the pretty and inspirational! (And PS — if you’re newly engaged, congratulations! If you’re new here, welcome! I share a deep look into my real weddings, along with sharing planning advice and tips!)
Photo by S Berard / Design by Wild Heart Events
Sculptural Floral Design
We’re seeing unique shapes, funky ingredients and textures and REALLY letting the flowers shine. There’s no micromanaging with this — we’re beholden to what cool ingredients we can get, so a client cannot be particular if this is the style they want.
And after so many years of “just a little greenery,” I cannot tell you how truly thrilled FLORAL DESIGNERS are to see a return to actual floral design.
Focal Design Moments
Let’s favour a few focal floral features and minimize other elements. I always look to Australian wedding trends; trends often start there and work their way here — and we’re seeing a lot of abundant, over the top hanging installations, focal floral arrangements, and then somewhat minimized tabletops for banquet tables. Statements moments like a hanging piece, a killer entrance moment, a spectacular cake set up…chef’s kiss.
Display Style Design
Pedestals, plinths, asymmetrical moments…whether for a unique ceremony setting, an interactive dessert display, unique display moments, a creative seating chart, get into the display design — whatever might suit your wedding’s needs.
Negative Space
With a more sculptural design style, we then need to look to the overall design and ensure there’s balance by incorporating negative space. One piece doesn’t sing if there’s clutter everywhere. That means only include those elements that are necessary to support and build the table as a whole. What does this look like? Getting rid of the venue’s bulky tea lights, and asking the venue to simplify the place settings (no coffee cups or spoons out). If you’re offering favours, consider having an interactive favour table/station instead of leaving them on the place settings.
Basically, streamline the tablescape so you can have some negative space.
As Charly Goss would say, it’s all about proportion. And in event design, this translates into being all about negative space.
Colour
Black and white is always popular for a classic venue or that “art gallery” style vibe, but it’s easy to fall flat. My opinion? Just go for colour. We’re seeing lots of very bold palettes, including some hilariously vibrant pinks (possibly influenced by Barbie?!).
Ready for something fun? I’m feeling a lime moment these days. Chartreuse is the perfect way to tuck in some vibrancy and fun! Adding a hit of lime to something otherwise feminine or subdued can very aptly be described as “sweet and sour.” That touch of chartreuse can just bring such a delicious bit of life to a palette.
A Return to Round Tables
This gives us a great opportunity to pair form with function. Functionally, round tables are great for service, and most venues own them so that eliminates the need to rent in specialty tables. From a design perspective, we need to think of a few things — creating movement, adding height in the centre of the table, eliminating as much of the unnecessary things off the table as possible (for the love all good things, would venues please stop setting coffee cups on the table!?).
Scaled Back Bouquets
I have nothing against big bouquets. In fact, I love them. But there’s something so chic and current about a scaled back bouquet, featuring ruffled blooms and smaller textures in a more intricate colour palette. Especially when paired with a more streamlined and architectural style dress, the effect is stunning.
Photo by Heather Nan / Bouquet by Tinge Floral
looking for a wedding floral and event designer in winnipeg?
We’ve got a small handful of 2023 dates remaining, and 2024 bookings are now open.
Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
2022 and 2023 Wedding Trends
2022 and 2023 are going to be BUSY years for the wedding industry. We’re still working through the backlog of postponed covid weddings from 2020 and 2021, and then we also have all of the couples who were originally planning to get married in these years anyways.
So what does this mean for wedding trends? I think it means that we’re going to see a lot of creativity, a lot of personalization, and a lot of couples doing things their own way.
I always love forecasting wedding trends, so here we go!
2022 and 2023 are going to be BUSY years for the wedding industry. We’re still working through the backlog of postponed covid weddings from 2020 and 2021, and then we also have all of the couples who were originally planning to get married in these years anyways.
So what does this mean for wedding trends? I think it means that we’re going to see a lot of creativity, a lot of personalization, and a lot of couples doing things their own way.
Before I jump into some of my favourite trends that I hope we’ll see in 2022 and 2023 weddings, here are a few things that are always at the top of my list:
Environmental Responsibility
Quality Over Quantity
Locally Grown Flowers
Doing Things Your Own Way
These are all things that I’d love to see you filter through your entire wedding planning!
And now, let’s get into the pretty and inspirational!
Photo by Natalie Watson / Floral Design by Amy Osaba
Intimate Guest Lists
In my opinion, the greatest thing to come out of Covid’s gathering restrictions is intimate guest lists. Why? Because everyone at your wedding actually KNOWS that you want them there. They’re not just on the list because you’re a co-worker or a cousin. They’ve been chosen by you, to celebrate with you, and the impact that has on the ambiance is pretty incredible. I’ve witnessed such joy, such support, such celebration and it’s amazing — and that’s just from my very behind the scenes view!
Photo by Sophie Epton / Design by Amorology
Broad Colour Palettes
You know I’m a lover of colour. Whether it’s pastels or bright and bold, I just want each of my weddings to feel and look differently than the others, and the best way to do that is with a well-developed colour palette.
I don’t have any key colour palettes that I think are going to be super trendy (though I’m sure we’ll keep seeing more of the warm toffee and terracotta tones!), but overall, I encourage you to broaden and deepen your colour palette. Choose one or two focal colours, and add in supporting colours and shades, metallic and textural accents, and let your palette bring the wedding design to life.
Upgraded Stationery
Detailed stationery is one of my favourite elements of a wedding, so it always breaks my heart when couples don’t pay any attention to their stationery. Whether it’s just your invitations or if you have the budget to develop a fully customized suite, a well-designed piece makes all the difference between an okay event design and a memorable event design.
Don’t forget to layer in colour, play with the weights of the paper and various printing methods, and consider the little touches like envelope liners!
515 Photo Co / Design by Melissa Baum Events
Upgraded Place Settings
Glassware, flatware, layered charger and dinner plates, napkins, menus and place cards, you name it. The details matter, and they matter more than ever in 2022/2023. We’ve entered into a new realm of personalized wedding design, and the basic options that come along with your venue’s package just don’t cut it.
Some of my favourite local suppliers include Planned Perfectly, Collective Event Rentals, Trend Decor, and Union Table.
Pre-Wedding Cocktails
With couples feeling less pressure to do the typical and traditional, brings in more of the opposing desire: to create an ambiance of fun, celebration, and joyfulness. And when it comes down to it, most couples just want to spend as much time as they can with their loved ones. So why not host a pre-ceremony cocktail party? Whether you’re physically at it or not is up to you, giving your guests a welcome beverage that’s delightfully on-theme is such a fun way to kick off the evening.
Stationery by Inquisited
Statement Details
Whether it’s a far more interesting seating chart than the typical, a breathtaking lighting display, or a wedding cake completely surrounded by flowers, adding in one (or a few!) statement design elements to your overall event design plan is highly in demand.
Scaled Back Bouquets
I have nothing against big bouquets. In fact, I love them. But there’s something so chic and current about a scaled back bouquet, featuring ruffled blooms and smaller textures in a more intricate colour palette. Especially when paired with a more streamlined and architectural style dress, the effect is stunning.
Photo by Heather Nan / Bouquet by Tinge Floral
looking for a wedding floral and event designer in winnipeg?
Get on the 2023 waitlist now! Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
