Blush, Pink, Ivory and Gray at the Parthenon, part I

Weddings and Events

I met Courtney and was instantly in love with her sweet disposition and her kind demeanor. She’s a vet, and I could just tell that she would make any pet feel at ease. She had a vision for a day that was classic, elegant, refined and lovely— but vintage-modern and just a little bit rustic.  Her nuptials were planned for West End United Methodist and a reception at the Parthenon– such awesome, lovely venues!  Her design ideas were influenced by her love of the following colors: deep charcoal, soft pinks, and blush– along with accents of cream and ivory:

We started out the design process with an inspiration board that evoked beautiful blush + branches, modern + refined:

For the personal flowers, we went with ruffly, romantic florals in blush, ivory, and soft pinks. Special thanks to the Collection for the gorgeous images. Let’s begin with Courtney, who wore a sweet birdcage veil accented with feathers:

Courtney and her groom: a beautiful pair:

Roses, spray roses, peonies and hydrangea formed the base of Courtney’s bouquet

The bouquet was hand-tied and accented with deep gray ribbon, bands of blush, and pearls

Soft pink hydrangea and roses were paired with ivory and cream roses for the bridesmaids to carry:

Courtney was escorted down the aisle by her dad– love the jacket in lace, perfect for a proper church wedding!

I love the idea of this image– married husband and wife, off to their reception at the Parthenon– a post I look forward to sharing with you!

Event Lighting 101: Textured Lighting

Design Details

In our first series, we talked about how lighting can be used as a foundation for your design and decor. It’s time for part two of our lighting series: Textured Lighting. Once you have your base down with color and depth through up lighting, it’s time to add texture and visual interest to your space with the introduction of lighting that creates a sense of layers and depth.

Texture Lighting: I generally start a lighting design discussion with the use of uplights because the give you a lot of bang for your buck. From there, you can start adding texture, and my favorite use of texture is through the use of gobos to create patterns. Here’s an image illustrating where Nashville Event Lighting used the stunning combination of uplighting and gobos to create impact:

Gobos are steel or glass disks that create a pattern. They start like this:

And end up like this:

Dance floors, walls, and ceilings make perfect spaces to create texture and depth. Here’s a gobo on the floor from an event at Belle Meade Plantation by Nashville Event Lighting:

Often times, brides in particular thing of Gobos in terms of Monograms. Monograms are an excellent way to personalize your event and add an extra layer of texture and detail. Here’s a few of our favorites by Nashville Event Lighting:

It’s fun to put Gobos in interesting places– like here on this pool– for added texture.

After uplights and gobos, the next addition would be with hanging implements. Again, the goal is texture and depth. String lights, lanterns, lamps, and other hanging accents can create focal points or illustrate divisions into a room space. A collection of lanterns hanging over a dance floor designate that space as special. String lights down a hallway or across an outdoor wedding reception dance floor looks almost magical.

All the below are from Nashville Event Lighting. String Lighting from Sara Evan’s Wedding:

Lighting down a hallway, archway, or narrow space makes for a romantic, beautiful touch:

Hanging paper lanterns are a favorite for brides and event professionals alike. Add color for increased visual interest, or mix up sizes and shapes for texture and depth:

Lanterns with different textures or shapes are a fun way to create a different look:


I love these wicker lanterns:


Why Texture Lighting: Textured lighting creates visual interest and depth to your space. You can enhance certain areas (like walls, ceilings, or floors) or even tabletops, you can personalize your event with a custom monogram, or highlight areas for focal points (like above head tables, dance floors, or the cake). Thanks to Nashville Event Lighting for sharing these images, and stay tuned for our next installment in the 101 series: Highlight Lighting!