DÉCOR DESIGN IS KEY TO TALE OF TWO WEDDINGS: EVENT DESIGN IS

attorneys, the selection of Cleveland 9s historic Old Courthouse was a perfectly suited venue for the elegant vision they had for their dual-religion (Jewish/Christian) nuptials.<br><br> With both living out of state, mother of the bride (Linda) also worked very closely with Heather to transform the ceremony area into the reception area while simultamously entertaining their guests in the upper balcony. The goal was to turn the venerable and still functioning court house into a gorgeous venue for approximately 300 guests, while effortlessly transforming the décor from ceremony to reception. According to Heather, cAfter a detailed consultation with the bride and her mother, we prepared an itemized proposal containing the key design elements: floral arrangements, lighting, linens, chairs, draperies and a custom-made chuppah 2 the portable canopy beneath which the couple stands while the Jewish ceremony is being performed. d CORPORATE CONTACT: Heather Thomas / HeatherLily, Inc.<br><br> (216) 862-2864 / hthomas@heatherlily.com EDITORIAL CONTACT: Ray Farrar / Method Media LLC (216) 861-0862 / rayf@methmedia.net EVENT DESIGN: Challenges & Variables After agreeing upon a design concept with Lindsey and her mother, Heather began sourcing out and preparing a logistical schematic for the Courthouse 9s transformation from ceremony to reception. This would assure that the wedding day was elegant, unobtrusive, and fluent. Flowing drapery and accent lighting throughout the courthouse were key in achieving a romantic and formal atmosphere.<br><br> Further adding to the uniqueness of this event was a custom gobo stencil that projected a large monogram of the couple 9s initials on the dance floor. The transformation in the Old Courthouse had to be performed with exact precision. After a 40 minute wedding ceremony, the guests retreated for cocktails in the upper balcony for one hour while HeatherLily transformed the ceremony on the main floor into an exquisite main floor reception.<br><br> This time sensitive layout involved the following décor elements: thirty massive glass trumpet-vase centerpieces with billowing autumn florals, platinum silk linens, china, flatware, and personalized seating place cards. According to Heather, cEvery second of set-up and dismantling had to be timed up with the labor intensive nature of this wedding. This required approximately fifteen full-time contract workers and two additional floral design specialists.<br><br> Additionally, all floral arrangements were designed at the HeatherLily studio and delivered fresh at the Courthouse the day of the wedding. d Mother-of-the-bride Linda Carr noted, cHeatherLily 9s actual turnaround time between ceremony and reception was probably ninety minutes, but I 9d say Heather was there for at least eighteen hours straight. Ultimately, everything appeared effortless and beautiful the day of the wedding. Heather 9s design work and professionalism exceeded our expectations. d WEDDING #2: c The Secret Gard en d As everyone knows, falling in love often happens unexpectedly; therefore, it comes as no surprise that the unexpected, unplanned wedding is no strange bedfellow to unbridled love.<br><br> In the case of John and Erin, the whirlwind marriage took place in the romantic setting of Greece. One week after returning home, the couple swiftly decided to hold a reception ceremony for family and friends. Heather met with the Erin and John on Sunday June 30 th to begin planning an event to be held six days later on the 4 th of July.<br><br> After that initial consultation, Erin and her husband asked Heather if she could pull-off a 8Secret Garden 9 themed reception at the Avalon Inn 9s Grand Pavilion Ballroom (Warren, OH). Accustomed to last-minute event design, Heather took on the project. With such scant lead time, Heather metamorphasized her typical role of event designer into the role of event coordinator.<br><br> Heather immediately embarked on the events core design: creating a cSecret Garden d celebration with a romantic ambiance. With only six days to accomplish the vision, this event would be Heather Lily 9s most unique design challenge! EVENT DESIGN: Challenges & Variables Running with the creative vision of the couple 9s 8Secret Garden 9 theme and noting that their invitations had a 8Secret Garden 9 gate on the cover, Heather created a replica of the gate for the guests to enter through.<br><br> After passing through the gates, the guests were met with freshly cut twelve foot birch trees strategically placed throughout the ballroom. Each table was accented with fresh peonies, garden roses, and hydrangeas billowing from porcelain compotes. To further create a romantic garden celebration, four hundred glass votives where suspended within the birch trees.<br><br> Outside, adjacent to the grand ballroom, a separate tent was constructed with lounge-style sofas, a wet bar, accent lighting, and a Godiva chocolate station complete with Grand Marnier. ©200 9 HeatherLily , Inc. All rights reserved.<br><br> Handling all floral designs on location, Heather also leveraged key resources with appropriate vendors to accommodate décor accessories for the ballroom. The HeatherLily team also managed to conduct key walkthroughs prior to the event to maximize cohesive execution, quality control, and visual detail from top- to-bottom. According to Heather, cEven with the eleventh-hour lead time, ultimately, the Secret Garden reception was a memorably exquisite event that captured the emotion and spirit of this spontaneous wedding.<br><br> The event actually came off without a hitch and in lightning-quick fashion. d CONCLUSION: Event Impact & Budget Whereas the tale of these two weddings is an exercise in timing, planning, and execution; ultimately event design comes down to the complexities of the desired aura and the passion behind it. While the passion may drive a wedding 9s complexity, several variables should always be factored in to determine its pricing. Size of the event, seasonality and type of flowers, number of guests, design time, and the extensiveness of props used are just a few factors that effect pricing.<br><br> According to Heather, cPlanning and designing a wedding is complex; whether it 9s big or small, on short- notice, or with a large lead time. The goal is to exchange ideas and visions with our clients so we can be as passionate about the event as they are. Once these goals are identified, we can present and select the perfect floral styles, colors, and themes.<br><br> From that point, we work with our clients to secure the appropriate budget that will allow them to experience their own unique and visually unforgettable event. d Heather noted that when budgeting for a wedding it is important to first factor an overall budget for floral décor at a basic minimum of 10%. Most of HeatherLily 9s clients place flowers high on their priority list. Those clients are prepared to budget 15%-20%.<br><br> As lighting evolves as a crucial element of wedding atmospheres, Heather recommends budgeting 5-10% for lighting depending on the priority level. CORPORATE PROFILE: A certified female owned small business enterprise for nearly ten years, HeatherLily 9s owner and principal designer Heather Thomas began her mechanical training at a private New Orleans floral design school. Ensuing tutela ge under renowned event designers in Northeastern Ohio was followed by opening HeatherLily, Inc.<br><br> out of her home studio before strategically locating in downtown Cleveland. Today, HeatherLily, Inc. provides comprehensive event design for corporate events , weddings, banquets, and charitable galas throughout Ohio.<br><br> Beyond unforgettable floral arrangements, HeatherLily orchestrates i ts vast array of visually stunning event design talent to help clients achieve the inspired décor vision of their extraordinary ev ent.

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