I love the holiday season and the way it lends itself to fantasy and whimsy and even a little mystery. Today’s wedding board was inspired by this idea, and by the laurel garland from Tail of the Yak*, with the olive green, the pop of pink ribbon, and the aged gilt of the mirror behind it. I think it’s a luxurious and unexpected twist on the traditional Christmas green and red, and it’s definitely full of holiday fantasy.

(*Tail of the Yak is an incredibly well-curated and magical little shop in Berkeley, and if you ever have the chance to visit, do. It also happens to be where my engagement ring came from, which might make me a little biased, except that it actually is the most wonderful shop ever to exist. Promise.)

Mood: sumptuous holiday whimsy
Palette: laurel and pine green, fuschia velvet, bronze and chocolate

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Top row from left: laurel leaf garland with pink ribbon from Tail of the Yak via Oh Happy Day, chocolate taffeta dress photo by Rodney Smith, centerpiece with magenta rose and begonia leaves by Ariella Chezar
Row 2: place setting with red napkin photo by Silvana di Franco via Wiley Valentine, vintage-style Roman-inspired crown from Heather Bullard, fuschia velvet chairs via My Little Apartment
Row 3: snowy library from Anthropologie’s Nov. ’09 catalog, bouquet with deep pink garden roses and jasmine by Artfool, hand-lettered menu with pink garland border by Cynthia Warren for Chez Panisse (photo by Aya Brackett)
Row 4: vintage fuschia velvet shoes via Nostalgia at the Stone House, designer Christmas tree with glass ornaments in shades of pink, chocolate chestnut wedding cake with sugared fruit and laurel leaves and diamond engagement ring in fuschia velvet box both from Martha Stewart Weddings

(I know I’ve been writing a lot more lately, and I hope that’s okay with everyone. Some of you are probably just here for the pictures, and that’s okay too.)

In the context of our recent conversations about keeping things simple, today’s wedding inspiration board might not make much sense, especially if you are thinking of “simple” as “minimalist.” There is certainly nothing minimalist about this sumptuous holiday wedding that I’ve imagined for today – it’s full of outrageously rich fuschia velvet, it’s decorated with garlands and Christmas trees, there’s a crown and illustrated menu and fabulous vintage shoes, and a tiered chocolate cake covered with sugared fruit. I think, no matter how you try to make it fit, “simple” just doesn’t apply here.

But I don’t believe that richness and thoughtfulness are mutually exclusive. In fact, I think that they can and should go hand in hand. That was how I thought about today’s inspiration board – it’s the way I’d like to approach the holidays, my own wedding planning, and most parts of my life. It includes finding and creating beauty – both material and spiritual – in every day, thinking carefully which objects you choose to surround yourself with, giving to others, and doing these things in a way that is authentic for you. Below is part of an email I wrote to my friend Meg awhile back (she even posted it on her blog!) that seemed appropriate for this conversation, and that I thought I’d share with you:

…[I was thinking] about was why do I love all of the wedding details? Because I really do love them (well, most of them; there are a chunk that I find absurd). And I realized that it’s because I love details in general, I love things that are done thoughtfully and beautifully, that are meaningful, and that are little gifts to other people whether they realize it’s a gift or not. And if a bride doesn’t feel that way about the details, and if all she feels is pressure and like she doesn’t measure up, then that’s not thoughtful or meaningful in a good way, and it’s not a gift to anyone! People need to remember that their wedding day should reflect who they are, and if for them that means walking down the aisle to Johnny Cash, and not perfectly coordinated vintage stamps, then THAT’S their gift.

So, what do you think? How you feel about this idea? Is it something that resonates with you? How are you applying it to your own wedding planning (or holiday shopping, or whatever)?