6 months out from the big day and we’re getting down to the detail.
The planning focus for the last three months has been on setting the Hampton’s tone. This is where Mask Events get to be in their creative element – taking their bride’s vision and making it a reality.
We know that as an interior stylist, Danni is the Hamptons queen, but what is it about this style that is so significant to her that she would also choose it for her big day?
“My mother has always been the most stylish lady I know. 15 years ago, when Hamptons style furniture wasn’t available in the retail market, my Mum painted and upcycled all her timber pieces and recovered her lounges creating a timeless, coastal interior. She even went as far as making her own cushion covers and curtains. The Hamptons is a place full of homes transcending design trends and, in my eyes, it will forever be beautiful.”
The feel of the wedding will be the communal coming together of friends and family, sharing long tables.
Gone are the days of round tables with a perfectly matching centrepiece on each table. We find that our brides often like the more eclectic look, and Danni is no exception.
At the site inspection we got exact sizing of tables, then returned to the showroom to spatially work out the amount of items that would look good on the table. We laid out tables complete with crockery, cutlery, glassware and then worked on which items will look best together and how far apart to space them all (yes, this IS the level of detail required – next time you’re at a wedding you can sit back and appreciate the table settings!)
Working on styling with a bride who is an exceptional stylist herself is a joy.
Given that this is her area of expertise, it was important that we understood and delivered to her standards. But how did Danni find the experience of working with partners in the styling elements?
“If I’m completely honest, yes, I absolutely worried about our table styling prior to my meeting with Mask. If I could, I would clone myself and style the tables, however of course this is not possible. I organised a meeting with Mask with the intention that I’d show Bek exactly how I would like the tables dressed. With blue and white pieces everywhere to be seen, I carefully watched Meg curate perfect displays (moments) with differing heights and appropriate negative space. I listened to her advice on placement to create a highly visual setting that’s also comfortable and functional for guests. I not only left confident and happy, I left educated!”
We’re so happy that we were able to visualise and deliver on the Hamptons brief for our bride.
If you’re still wondering exactly what this Hamptons style is, here’s a beautiful description from Danni herself:
“Hamptons style can range from polished elegance to relaxed and casual, yet there are always defining signature pieces that bring together this beautiful, timeless style. It’s all the lovely coastal influences, like muted colours from a seascape or perhaps textiles that reflect sand or ripples in the water. In conjunction with coastal inspired pieces, for me, it’s the signature blue and white chinoiserie that hallmarks an interior in true Hamptons style.
Our table settings will display coastal charm to reflect the feel of the venue itself, with the addition of lots of blue and white chinoiserie. The décor will consist predominantly of coastal elements like coral, white vases and beautiful white and green blooms.”
It’s important that all styling elements flow coherently together, and this all starts with the invitations.
Ideally, wedding invitations set the tone for what guests are set to experience at the event.
“The idea behind our invitations was to tell a story visually of what our guests should expect. Each event across our ‘wedding weekend’ has a watercolour representation of the venue, taking each guest on a journey with written content simply there to provide information. Naturally, the invites are blue and white and include a custom watercolour chinoiserie pattern painted by Cass Deller. They are highly visual and completely in keeping with our Hamptons style approach.”
The brief from Danni was obviously her signature Hamptons style, but with a touch of hand painted water colour and lettering. A monogram has been specially designed for the happy couple, that we’ll be using in more than just the invitations. Look out for surprise pops of it throughout the event styling!
So, how did Danni decide to go with monograms and watercolour?
“I had seen wedding crests in the past, some done well, others quite poorly. Given that Cass Deller was designing our invitations and she happens to be the watercolour queen, I felt comfortable knowing she’d do a lovely job. A wedding crest really resonated with me as it’s formal and polished. With the right design, choice of greenery and colour scheme, I knew it would complement our Hamptons style wedding perfectly.”
The main point of difference for the invitations is the medium in which guests will RSVP. Instead of spending money on RSVP cards and stamped envelopes, Danni invested her time and set up a wedding website.
“This was completely Bek’s idea and she sourced the best website! It was free and had all the right page templates, not only to create something beautiful but has a heap of guest information. Check out www.theknot.com.”
6 months to go and everything is coming together beautifully. We’re excited for the beautiful invitations to go out and to get stuck into the next round of planning!
