There are some weddings that just come together like a dream, all the details fits beautifully together, each heightening and complementing the next.

Location: The Commandant’s House at the Charlestown Naval Shipyard
Colors: Ivory, Navy, Yellow, and Silver
Style: Elegantly simple with stylish nautical touches

Didn’t it this turn out unbelievable?:

Tent & Table Design at the Commandant's House. Petalena, 2010.

Table View with Yellow Tree Peonies. Petalena, 2010.

The table design featured three large and low centerpieces, each filled with a different variety of flower: tree peonies, lilies, tulips, and garden roses. Small silver mercury glass vases were sprinkled around the tables and filled with yellow cymbidium orchids. We were able to use a large variety of flowers but kept the design simple and elegant with just one kind of flower in each vase.

Table Design with Garden Roses and Orchids. Petalena, 2010.

What really unified the overall design for the event too were the wonderful white and navy table runners the bride’s mother created just for the event. It added a summer touch of drama against the navy linens. Just gorgeous!

Tree Peonies. Petalena, 2010.

Ummm, this is seriously too beautiful to handle. Apryl and I loved this wedding especially for these incredible yellow tree peonies. Of course we’re fans of all kinds of flowers, but these are ridiculously beautiful, no?

Table Design with Lilies and Callas. Petalena, 2010.

Every now and then as a floral designer, you have these ‘breakthrough’ moments with particular flowers. Take lilies for instance, these are not flowers Petalena often works with – while they are pretty – there are just too many designs out there that make them just look, well, yucky and cheap. So we’ve really avoided using them since there are always so many other lovely things to choose from.  We embraced the lily for this wedding and I’m so glad we did. They were striking, elegant, and actually quite high-style looking in this context. Dramatic.

Place Card Table Arrangement with Peonies, Tulips, and Delphinium. Petalena, 2010.

While this was primarily an outdoor wedding, cocktail hour was inside the house, so I wanted to include two pretty pictures from there – one of the guest card table – a dreamy arrangement in ivories and white and the other of the bride’s grandfather.

Portrait and Orchid. Petalena, 2010.

Our thanks to Heather Minicucci and Simply Inviting Weddings for connecting us with a wonderful client. And of course, our wonderful bride, Erin!

Photos and Floral Design by Petalena