Silverman Ellen - 2004;2005;

FOR MY SISTER SARA

Text copyright 2004 Karen Bussen
Photographs on pages by Brad Paris

All other photographs
copyright 2004 Ellen Silverman

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

Published in 2004 by
Stewart, Tabori & Chang
115 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011

Canadian Distribution:
Canadian Manda Group
One Atlantic Avenue, Suite 105
Toronto, Ontario M6K 3E7
Canada

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bussen, Karen.

Simple stunning weddings / by Karen

Bussen; photographs by Ellen Silverman.

p. cm.

ISBN: 978-1-58479-365-6
eISBN: 978-1-61312-950-0

1. WeddingsPlanning. 2. Simplicity. I. Title.

HQ745.B88 2004

395.2'2dc222004000513

Designed by Susi Oberhelman

FIRST PRINTING

115 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
www.abramsbooks.com

contents

Infuse your celebration with simple, meaningful details. A small book of love poems paired with a keepsake bookmark makes a wonderful gift for your guests or your wedding party. Add a handwritten note inside for a special touch.

invitation to SIMPLICITY

Making the simple complicated is commonplace; Making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, thats creativity.

Charles Mingus

The journey toward your wedding day likely started with one simple wordYes. If only your wedding celebration could be so easy! But, unlike the brides and grooms of ancient times whose thumbs or hands were simply tied together with a leather, lace or piece of fabric (thereby, tying the knot), you have much more to think about when it comes to saying I do in a way that is personal, lovely, and meaningful.

Ive met so many brides and grooms who feel overwhelmed by the enormity of creating what is often the most important party of their lives. They want their dream day to be infused with the spirit and magic of their love and their personalities, but arent sure how to make it happen. When I meet with couples to discuss their wedding design, the looming question is, How are we going to pull it all together? This is generally followed by the lament, We had no idea how many decisions there are to make. When I tell them not to worry, that well start with the setting, look at their vision for the day, and then begin to pare down our choices, they immediately relaxa little bit.

You may have a general idea of the way you want your special day to feel, and perhaps you know a few of the elements you want to include, such as a particular color or flower, but the many details that need to be attended to, and the task of managing your florist, band, caterer, photographer, wedding party, and guests can be confusing and stressful. Family pressures, design and etiquette decisions, prioritiesits a delicate balance you must achieve to avoid conflict and miscommunications along the way. Making things more difficult, there are really no hard and fast formulas for todays couples to follow. There are so many possibilities and such a variety of options for everything from caterers to candles that it can all seem truly daunting.

This book is designed to help you create your perfect wedding mood, as simply as possible. My goal is to share basic information about party design principles, and illustrate them through twelve common wedding settings. This will help you identify and refine your vision for your wedding, and will prepare you to discuss it with your loved ones and your chosen vendors in a clear, concise way.

Equally important, I aim to inspire you visually (with the help of Ellen Silvermans amazing photographs) to take advantage of the power and beauty of a simple approach when it comes to your own wedding. Ive designed each wedding in this book to demonstrate practical, beautiful ways to keep your celebration both simple and stunning. I hope youll pull ideas from as many of the chapters as appeal to you, to personalize and enhance your own chosen setting.

what is simple?

Simplicity, to me, is an aesthetic that is both classic and contemporary, elegant and unfussy. It begins with a clear vision of your intended mood or ambiance, and defines itself in direct relation to its environment.

A simple wedding can be inexpensive or extremely luxurious, depending upon the materials, setting, food, and other elements you choose. My simple approach to design is less about budget than about planning detailscolor, flowers, menuto create a powerful mood, whether your wedding is casual or formal. It is worth noting, however, that a simple wedding design will almost always be less wasteful (and more stylish) than one that is over-the-top. This book will help you to discover and articulate the mood of your wedding with confidence and common sense, beginning from where I feel it all starts: your location.

Limiting the number of types of flowers in your bouquets and centerpieces is both elegant and economical. A small posy of perfect, striking blossoms, such as these miniature mangohued calla lilies, makes a dramatic and colorful statement.

Dramatic flowers and vases can stand alone. When you feature unusual flowers and strong shapes, just two or three blossoms are enough, especially when the form is repeated. We paired geometric apple-green resin vases with pin cushion protea and gloriosa lilies in tangerine for this modern summer wedding.

10 simple stunning truths

Keep these basic ideas in mind when making decisions about your wedding design.

. Simple is not the same as cheap. A simple wedding design stems from a clear vision which is in harmony with the chosen setting. Your preferences for linens, flowers, even menu items, as well as your location and the size of your party, will determine your costs. A wedding feast for 50 guests in a 5-star restaurant is one of the simplest celebrations you can choose. However, fine restaurants are not inexpensive, and many charge a premium for renting private rooms or the entire space.

. Simple is not necessarily minimal. A simple design uses restraints to create a more powerful effect; however, there are times when a single element, such as one type of flower, can be multiplied beautifully to express what I consider an extravagance of simplicity. Imagine one 32-foot long table with a single cotton tablecloth sewn to full length. Picture one flowera poppyrepeated 100 times in narrow glass vases placed down the center of the table. Its easy to see that this design is highly streamlined, but also abundant in its own way. Here, simplicity means limiting