canlis

a few months back  canlis, seattle's premier fine dining restaurant, called me and asked if i would be interested in partnering with them on a photo shoot to showcase the possibilities for private dining in the penthouse of their establishment.

having dined in their restaurant enjoying the chic yet welcoming environment comprised of expansive views, exceptional service, incredible food and their famous ticket-less valet, i was quite excited to partner with an establishment with a similar philosophy as mine: combining a dedication to fine details and a passion for people.

the retro-glam look of the photo shoot was inspired by the mid century architecture that defines canlis. the restaurant combines modern tones of greys, blacks and neutrals with original wood accents from 1950. i wanted to create the tablescape to feel like a natural extension of canlis, so i used black, neutrals, a touch of  retro  brown reminiscent of the the restaurant's original era, and then accented everything with a little bit of bling.

i custom made the linens, and played with layers of polka dots, a textured cheesecloth to add a northwest flare, zebra prints and silks and then crowned the table with crystal candlesticks, rhinestone accents and single bloom arrangements of peonies. 

other details:

lynne baron lent me the unique mid-century-modern chandelier and much of the crystal, as well as her eye for detail and helping hand as we put the table together at the shoot.  so great to work with her again!

dolce design constructed all of the stationery products

abc rentals provided the unique lucite chairs

luly yang designed the dress

tyler sholdt crafted all of the jewelry you will see

green light event design lit up the room with up-lighting and pin spots on the arrangements.

michele waite photographed the shoot

special thanks to Erik Holgate, my technical guy, for all his hard work in making everything happen.

if you are looking for a place to host your next private party, rehearsal dinner or small wedding reception, give give canlis a consideration.  their unparallel devotion to the smallest details will make your fine dining experience or special event unlike anything you have ever experienced. 

 

lindsay and jp, inspiration to reality, part 3 - press coverage

wedluxe, canada's luxury magazine, has featured the design of lindsay and jp's wedding in their current issue. although you can not purchase this magazine in the states, i am attaching the 6 page feature here on my blog for you to enjoy.

style me pretty feature

the most famous and notable wedding blog that exists featured one of my weddings yesterday!  check out the post when you get a chance:  http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/12/29/backyard-wedding-from-michele-waite/ 

it's always encouraging and reaffirming to not only have your work posted, but to have so many nice compliments offered as well.

Thank you style me pretty!

lindsay and jp inspiration to reality, part 1

every wedding that i design begins with some sort of inspiration. sometimes it is a texture, an image, or a color, while other times inspiration might come from a specific mood, magazine clipping or even something random from someone's house.

this inspiration board below is what i used to design a wedding for lindsay and jp.

lindsey and jp wanted a fun wedding that was bright and cheerful and had the ambience of a relaxed, care free evening. they also wanted it to be thoughtfully put together, being very intentional about every detail.

this story board was the perfect answer as we looked for inspiration. the colors were happy and bright yet still distinctive and unique for a wedding.  we loved the pattern and coloring of the blue tile contrasted with the spiky yellow flower, the fun mood set with the couple having a great time in the car, and even the tone set by the image of the girl in the turquoise tights.  i was especially drawn to the bold yellow block of color that served as a background to the words in that image.

the next couple of blog entries will show how we took the inspiration set by these images and the playful tone that was conveyed and turned  it into reality for the actual wedding.

happy anniversary

every now and then, we unexpectedly encounter someone who makes such a huge impact on our life that it forever alters the course our life is taking. 

my senior year of college i had such an encounter when lynne baron contacted me regarding a custom gown for her daughter ashley. ashley had recently become engaged to gabriel rodriguez.  although i didn't know it at the time, my life would never be the same. i met with ashleyand her mother and we began the process of working on her wedding together.  i was scared to death because i had never created anything for anyone other than friends. 

throughout the course of their engagement, i experienced a whole new world of possibilities as we worked on ashley's dress and plans for the wedding. not only did i learn the art form of event design and coordination, make my first flower arrangements and stretch my talents past what i thought i was capable of,  but i also made life long friendships with people i now partner and collaborate with on a regular basis (ashley is now the creative master and writer behind the incredible blog 'not without salt' and gabe is co owner of gabriel boone, and is one of my top wedding photographers that i work with).

december 13th is a special day that not only marks the sixth anniversary of two good friends,  but it marks the anniversary of when i realized what i wanted to do with my life.  it's been six years of marriage for gabe and ashley,  but for me its been six years of pursuing my dreams and passions. 

perhaps it is because this was my first real wedding, or maybe because this was the day that changed my life forever as i fell in love with event design, but this is and will probably always be my favorite wedding. although these pictures are a walk down memory lane, i have no doubt that you will find this timeless, classic, inspiration filled wedding to be every bit as chic and elegant as it was six years ago.

the dress

ashley wanted to be distinctive. her mocha colored wedding gown accomplished this for her.  this off-the- shoulder ball gown was crafted from duchesse silk satin. the vintage inspired lace bodice was adorned with hundreds of austrian crystals that ashley and i sewed on by hand. the back of the bodice was closed shut with forty handmade buttons. to add drama to the back of the gown, i created lace and satin detachable panels that overlapped the cathedral length train. this dress sculpted from fabric was truly a work of art. it took about eight months to design and an entire month to create.

 

 

ashley and gabe,  happy anniversary!  it's been six years, but i still remember your wedding like it was yesterday.  ashley, you were the epitome of elegance, carrying yourself with such grace and class.  i'll never forget how calm you were as you descended the staircase to walk down the aisle . . . so poised, confident and excited.

you are by far the most talented couple that i know . . . there is no doubt in my mind that you will both be so successful with your own passions. playing a part in your wedding was amazing, but what's greater for me is the friendship that has continued since that day. thank you for dreaming with me, challenging me to greater things . . . and even more, believing in me and encouraging me.   i feel privileged to call you my friends.

lynne, you were so much more than a mother of the bride to me . . . you changed my life when you taught me that every event could be a work of art.  Your passion for a styled life and beautiful things mixed with your compassion and love for people helped shape me into who i am today. thank you for taking me under your wings, giving me the opportunity to find myself, introducing me to a whole new world of possibilities and impacting me in ways you will never know. a large part of who i am today is because of you.  i will cherish our friendship always.