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picture-perfect weddings
Best
Ceremony Setting
Unseasonably hot weather—103 F and climbing at 11
a.m.—and wind gusts of 50 to 60 miles per hour made setting up this
summer solstice ceremony décor challenging for designer Suzanne Smith
and her team of five assistants, including her husband, Alan. But
despite losing several orchids in the wind, the easygoing bridal couple
and their colorful wedding elements—set atop a hill surrounded by
rolling mountains and rustic rocky points, with views of the vineyard
and lush valley below—still made this nuptial event one of the florist’s
favorites to date.
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Suzanne M. Smith
Suzanne M. Smith Designs
Huntington Beach, Calif.
Date:
June 21,
2008
Ceremony site:
Saddlerock
Ranch Vineyard; Malibu, Calif.
Reception site:
Chateau Le
Dome Malibu, Calif.
Number in wedding party:
20
Number of guests:
80
Approximate retail floral bill:
$4,500
Photos by Joy Marie Photo
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The bride, a well-known graphic artist who walked barefoot
down the aisle, and her groom, a natural healer and author of a top
acupuncture reference guide for practitioners of the Eastern art, both
are vegan and requested that all botanicals used in their wedding be
natural and organic.
Combining elements of Christianity and Eastern philosophy, this winning
ceremony featured the florist’s signature ribbon poles, which lined the
aisle leading to the natural grapevine arbor under which the couple was
married and later were transferred to the dance floor and surrounding
reception area. The poles were topped with fresh white daisy spray
chrysanthemums and anchored in cement-weighted vintage vineyard baskets
filled with ‘Thompson’ grape clusters and preserved green Hydrangeas.
Strands of orange, yellow and white orchids, as well as permanent petals
with crystals, were hung around the sides and back of the arbor.
Coordinating ‘Circus’, ‘Voodoo’ and ‘Yellow Island’ rose petals graced
the aisle.
An officiant wearing a garland of braided ti leaves presided
over the nontraditional ceremony. And the wedding party was
nontraditional as well: The bride’s sister was her only actual
attendant; she chose to have a “goddess walk” of 10 female friends
instead, each of whom carried a long single stem of lucky bamboo and a
‘Mango’ calla braided with green raffia.
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The ceremony site was surrounded by breathtaking
scenery including rolling mountains, a lush valley and the
Saddlerock Ranch Vineyard. Here, the three flower girls, with
floral wreaths atop their heads that coordinated with the
whimsical ribbons blowing in the breeze, enjoy a prewedding
photo shoot.
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Despite wind gusts of 50 to 60 miles per hour,
floral designer Suzanne Smith’s signature ribbon poles remained
upright throughout this winning ceremony, thanks to the heavy
cement that secured them into the vintage vineyard baskets.
Clusters of ‘Thompson’ grapes and preserved green Hydrangeas
concealed the cement bases and were a perfect accompaniment to
the wedding’s vineyard setting.
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Beneath the grapevine arbor, the couple pours
ocean water from their favorite beach into a bowl of “gathered
blessings,” which also included sand from their favorite
childhood playgrounds and other natural elements. |
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Click on any of these categories
to see more of the 2008 winners
Picture Perfect Wedding -
Best Wedding Winner
Picture Perfect Wedding - Best Reception Decorations
Winner
Picture Perfect Wedding - Best Bouquets & Best Cake Decorations
Winner
Picture Perfect Wedding Sponsors
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