The Stone House, Sterling Ridge NJ

I know I am getting better using my camera when I take a look at these pictures.   I am finally learning how to adjust the iso setting according to the lighting in the room, and even though it's not something difficult to do I am still happy I am getting the hang of it!

This wedding was fun all around.  The Bride was fun to talk to and work with and so was her mom!  I knew we would get along well when we first met and her mom was wearing a leopard print scarf...and really that became the inspiration for the decor of the wedding.  So how do you take the idea of red orange and leopard print and make it classy....take note and view this most dramatic bouquet....

Now if I told someone I was using black magic roses, brownie cymbidium orchids, leopard ribbon, peacock feathers, and peasant feathers they might think....whoa, this is going to be way over the top.  But wow, this just came out beautifully.

One slight problem....I bought the peasant feathers from one of my suppliers in the city.  The bottom of the stem was wrapped in a black tape.  I had no idea that when black ribbon got wet it would turn into purple stains on the hands of any one who held the bouquet.   I can't even imagine how I would have prepared for this...it didn't even cross my mind to check it.  The black tape was exactly the same material as my green tape I use on boutonnieres and that doesn't bleed.  The photographer noticed it before any major damage was done, and had black tape to tape around the already present black tape.  I really felt terrible though....

The bridesmaids carried bouquets of mokara orchids...

This wedding was also the debut of my Chuppah.  After much online research my dad helped me build this.    I'm already using it for two other events.  One in which the birch branches will also be visible and one where the entire thing will be draped in white fabric.  

The original idea was to just have white dendrobium orchids dripping from the Chuppah...to keep it simple for the ceremony and bring in the natural look of the venue, but the consensus was it looked a little boring, so I used the extra orange mokara orchids to bring a little more life to it.  

The kiddish (the table in the center), was covered by a blanket knitted by the grooms late grandmother...very sweet.  

The brides something old was a punch recipe her mom carries around with her...the first ingredient is southern comfort...I need to make this for my next party!

As I set up the centerpieces one of the wait staff pointed out that the mokara orchids looked like fall leaves.   The Stone House is one of my favorite venues and the color scheme for this wedding fit in so nicely.  There were three centerpieces, trees with candles and mokara orchids, trumpet vases with mokara orchid arrangements on top, and table level arrangements with roses, chocolate thai leaves, and brownie cymbidium orchids.

How cute is this....I really wanted to get a picture of this...and right after I heard the click my battery died...nice!