hip lemonade coolers • a summer wedding must

summer means weddings. and as anyone who has sat through a long ceremony in the cruel sun can tell you, a summer wedding can be a little steamy. to keep your guests cool in a refreshingly playful way, consider passing up the traditional water table in favor of ice cold lemonade.

there's just something crisp and welcoming and spectacular about a sea of icy glasses filled with the stuff. from low country lemon to sparkling cherry to a blend with tea or even flowers, there are a hundred ways to serve it, all of them chic and delicious. what's your favorite?

recipes and credits
first row — floral lemonade • khm, photo by leesa o'reilly; pineapple cooler with lavender and lemon verbena • country living, photo by janis nicolay; grapefruit lemonade • gokul & aimee's wedding, photo by leigh webber photography

second row — low country lemonade with mum swizzle sticks • in style weddings; sparkling mint lemonade • zehr's market

bottom row — fizzy sour cherry lemonade • gourmet; mint & lemon herbal tea • brides.com, photo by miki duisterhof

bountiful citrus centerpieces & fruitful design ideas

one of the freshest, easiest, most unique ways to add color to your wedding is to use fruit — it's bountiful, vibrant, inviting, and what's more? it's affordable.

think about it. a full vase of orchids can run you hundreds, but a bag of oranges is what, a few dollars? i adore the organic, rustic effect of adding fruit to wedding decor, and the fact that florists can often do magic with it without relying solely on expensive florals is just a huge bonus.

bouquets of apples and roses are shabby chic yet always elegant, and the eclectic tablescape above left, with its crisp green granny smiths, Brussels sprouts, hydrangeas and kale is so earthy and lovely it's hard to believe how simple it must have been to arrange.

the cake, above right, is absolutely charming with its citrus accents and colors, and would go beautifully with equally simple centerpieces consisting of nothing but fresh fruit and a gorgeous glass vase, like the one shown here.

above, spiny fruits, bowls of kumquats, suspended vases of citrus and exotic flowers set against bright linens beckon guests to a tropical feast. it's simple chic at its best.

for my own wedding, i had wanted dramatic columns of color at the head of the aisle, but had run out of ideas in terms of flower choices. i had already done massive displays of orchids, parrot tulips, and peonies...so what to do?

my florist — the ever fabulous shelby nolan of green leaf designs — came up with towers of fresh oranges with accents of rosemary for my tuscan-themed wedding, and i was sold. fruit is just delicious, no matter how you look at it, isn't it?

design & photo credits
apple centerpiece • ehow; citrus wedding cake • photo courtesy of getmarried.com, cake by maisiefantasie; greens tablescape and citrus centerpiece • the knot; tropical fruit tablescape • photo and linens courtesy of bbj linen; orange colums • photo by benjamin james

eco-chic and fabulous — digital save the dates

a bride recently came to me in need of an eco-friendly save the date concept that could not only be sent out immediately, but that would still be chic, custom, and cleverly coordinated with the wedding invitations i was designing for her. a tall order.

the solution? a digital save the date that can be printed, emailed, or included as a banner on a wedding website. it saved the bride time and money that can now be focused on the printed invites and stationery, yet the look is still totally fabulous. we love it!

for the boys • bold bachelor party invitations

we girls are lucky. we get the ring, the dress, the all-around the focus of the wedding day as we saunter gorgeously down the aisle. so, what do the men get? the bachelor party, of course.

to that end, we don't think paper couture should stop at girl-centric wedding stationery. on the contrary, one of our favorite designs is this fab jaguar bachelor party invitation — wrapped in black suede and animal print, it's masculine, playful, and all about the boys. it even comes with a cigar for celebrating the groom-to-be at the end of the night.

who says girls should have all the fun?

violets, lilac and lavender • a perfectly plum wedding

i am a girl, and therefore at one point in my girlhood i was obsessed with the color purple. of course, as i've grown, so have my tastes. still, there is something elegant and dramatic about this royal color family that i just adore. especially when it comes to weddings.

muted lilacs, deep violets, jewel-toned plums. alone they can be ordinary, but mixed together these hues can create a spectacularly sophisticated palette. our multi-hued orb invitation was the inspiration for this board, which mixes lavender with deep eggplant and violet.

we loved the idea of mixing jewel tones & elements with soft whites and creams to create something tactile, unexpected and totally unique. from the stunning lavender heels to the hand-crafted crystal ring pillow, jewels are kept subtle.

beaded vases are the perfect pop of color against creamy white decor, like this reception with lilac paper lanterns. purple tinted water-filled square vases are softened by natural white pebbles. and speaking of natural, these orchid boutonnieres feature lavender sea urchins. so cool.

our favorite idea? for dessert, serve "milk and cookies" — violet macarons with violet and vanilla bean buttercream alongside a lavender honey cream cocktail. your guests will never forget it.

design & photos credits
first row — satin heels • glamour original / christine johnson photography; custom wedding invitations • paper olive; ring pillow • handmade by bride / studio tran photography; second row — beaded vases • country living; orchid boutonnieres • blooms design studio / brooke mayo photography via the knot; violet macarons • tartelette; third row — reception setting • kristen peelle photography via the knot; signature cocktail • h. joseph ehrmann of elixir; tinted water centerpieces • epicurious.com