Scholarship Entry: Janet Martineau, Floral Verdé LLC

This submission is by Janet Martineau of Floral Verde, LLC

She knows that beauty is in the details, that true luxury is abundant but not overindulgent, and that true love requires sacrifice. She loves his humble nature, his strong stature and his family values.

He finds beauty in comfort, luxury in pausing for a sunset, and believes love is sacred. He loves her strong personality, her gentle touch, and her eagerness to blur the lines of dreams and reality.

On a warm summer evening, after a pleasant drive through rolling hills of grain, guests arrive at his century-old farmhouse. As they step out of their cars they are greeted with the faint sounds of a cello trio. Ripe with anticipation, guests follow hand-painted signs around the house and down to the broad but shallow Platte River. Beneath a massive cottonwood, overlooking the meandering water are rows of vintage wooden church pews.

As the guests are seated, the sun begins to set. The candle lit aisle and altar begin to sparkle and dance. The anticipation heightens as the cello trio breaks into Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major. The groom enters and waits. He wears a custom tailored black suit and a bunny grass boutonniere. His bride enters in a magnificent yet understated Vera Wang dress and walks slowly to meet him under the cottonwood. She carries a loose and delicate cascade of foliage, bunny grass and wispy flowers. Her hair is adorned with a white feathered fascinator bold enough to hold its own on an episode of Sex In The City.

After a quick but heartfelt ceremony the merry guests are led back up to the aged wooden barn, where an enormous transformation has taken place. Ivory draping covers the ceilings and walls, and blushes with the glow of soft up lighting. Ivory pillar candles of varying sizes are raised high above long rows of tables on long cast iron pedestals. Underneath the candles are textured, and slightly wild, centerpieces of peonies, sweet peas, and garden roses, mixed into a bed of dusty miller, seeded eucalyptus, scented geranium, and bunny grass. The bare and distressed wood tables are dressed with ivory runners, and antiqued white chiavari chairs complete the look.

As they step into the barn together, she knows that she made the right choice to follow him back to the farm. If only she could come up with another excuse to throw a party this large!

Credits:

Bouquet: Floral Verde
Fascinator: Veranda
Dress: Style Me Pretty
Invite: Alia Designs
Candles: Style Me Pretty
Pew: Style Me Pretty
Cottonwood Trees: Michael Tillotson
Centerpiece: Floral Verde
Tablescape: Style Me Pretty
Tablescape: David Beahm Designs