Wedding Mood Board: Preppy with a Twist

April 22, 2016September 15, 2017Leave a comment

wedding mood board preppy with a twist atlanta event planner

Designed to blend with the environment, this summer wedding is to take place at a lake. The green and blue hues fuse with the setting for a natural and relaxed look. A Lilly Pulitzer pattern look alike for the cake, stripes to add nautical touches, and a pant wedding gown that resembles a riding horse pant are all elements of a very preppy look. Having the bridesmaids wear both colors and pantsuits is definitely a modern twist to the more traditional look of the bridal party. This bride is modern, chic, and is ready to break the rules to make her big day as unique as it can get.

Don’t let your wedding put you in a twist! Start planning today.

Image credits: 1. Gown 2. Suit 3. Bridesmaids 4. Table setting 5. Invitation 6. Cake

Mood Board: Iridescent

April 4, 2016September 15, 2017Leave a comment

iridescent party jems and the holograms inspired party

The inspiration for this party was the very famous 80’s cartoons, Jem and the Holograms. As a matter of fact, they released a movie about Jem and the Holograms last year but it flopped. A very girly show with themes such as fame, alter egos, competition, glamour, friendships, and above all music. Kind of like the Hannah Montana of the 80’s, but with cartoons. There are really no limitations to this design, anywhere from a birthday party, to a life celebration such as a career achievement, to a corporate event. I would have the guests dress in all white and the honoree wear an iridescent dress. Nobody would miss her!

I see a crisp white room filled with food action stations. Iridescent panels hanging from the ceiling and cubes of iridescent marbles Ikebana style for some of the centerpieces. Ghost chairs on etched glowing tables and high boys covered with iridescent linens. The wow element of the party? An iridescent jello bar (with or without alcohol).

This theme can be done also in a more hip and urban style, maybe for a sweet sixteen or for a bar/bat mizvah. For more ideas you can see my Pinterest board here.

It’s time to show your lustrous colors to your family and friends.

Image credits: 1. gown 2. ghost chair 3. iridescent marbles 4. lettered wall 5.jello bar 6. invitations 7. linen 8. table

Wedding Mood Board: Fun, Feathers, and Forever

March 9, 2016September 15, 2017Leave a comment

Wedding Mood Board: Fun, Feathers, and Forever by Atlanta event planner Injinnyous.com

Laid back, free spirited, and fun! This bride is confident, independent, and self-expressive.

I love the versatility of this design in terms of venue matching. Because the design has rustic elements combined with blue tones, you can choose to have your event:

outside in a garden or a farm
an all out rustic venue such as a barn or log type venue
an old house or inn with dark wood architectural elements
an industrial venue

The overall ambiance is relaxed-chic. The feathers help create the natural and relaxed look and proves that you don’t need flowers to make a long lasting impression for your guests. This event is about being comfortable, having fun, and avoiding above all stuffiness. Go ahead! I dare you to replace the quintessential photo booth with some fun games instead!

Let this event be a feather in your cap.

Image credits: 1. Bride 2. Cake 3. Groom 4. Feather biscuits 5. Table 6. Bridesmaid 7. Invitation

Wedding Mood Board: French Provincial

January 27, 2016September 15, 2017Leave a comment

Wedding Mood Board: French Provincial injinnyous.com Atlanta event planner

I have been thinking a lot about my Southern country brides lately. I am not sure why it is that they think that if you are a country bride you have to do things in a certain way and only that way (by certain way I mean burlap). Ok. Hear me out, don’t shoot me just yet! Just because you are doing your wedding in a barn or a farm that doesn’t mean that you have to go with burlap. If that is what you like then I support you, but I don’t want you to think that your options are limited because that is what everybody else does. There are so many other things that you can do in a rustic environment if you are creative.

Take this theme for example. I envision this wedding in a barn or a farm. Many barns here in Georgia for you to choose from! Lots of browns, toile, naked cake, and not one ounce of burlap to be found. Still very rustic, classy, and elegant. Another secret, elegant does not necessarily mean expensive if you have a good eye. You can compliment this theme with french provincial furniture. I promise you, if you live here in the South somebody in your family has a dresser or a table that resembles that style. If they don’t own one, go to Goodwill or to a thrift store and you will find it. The toile fabric you should also be able to find relatively inexpensive and create fantastic runners and/or overlays. That is a great project for grandma or one of those aunts that is dying to help you out. 🙂

Oh! By the way, this is not a boring party either. I imagine a “pommes frites” bar or a french toast bites station opening towards the end of the night as a surprise for the guests. None of those two bars are expensive either! Seriously, who is going to say no to french fries or french toast! No excuses to not have a one of a kind wedding.

french toast bites

Amusez-vous à votre mariage! (Have fun at your wedding!).

To find more ideas, please visit my Pinterest board here.

Image credits: 1. Bride 2. Groomsmen 3. Glass 4. Toile 5. Centerpiece 6. Place setting 7. Cake 8. French toast bites

Wedding Mood Board: Sweet as a Georgia Peach

January 26, 2016September 15, 2017Leave a comment

Wedding Mood board: Sweet as a Georgia Peach

Southern and traditional. This bride is proud. Her heritage and Southern customs have determined who she is. She is gracious, kind, hospitable, and cares deeply about her family, a true Southern Belle. This bride is looking to integrate home into her wedding in a very special and unique way.

I see this event in a peach orchard and/or a barn. This wedding mixes rustic and modern traditional elements to create a custom design. Her signature cocktail is Peaches and Cream Martini and as party favor she sends her guests off with home made peach cobbler moonshine or maybe peach honey. Can you imagine a complete dinner menu around peaches? So many options. The best part is that because you saved a bit on the venue rental you can bring in an amazing and innovative catering company to create a custom menu just for you!

Can you imagine the save the dates? So much fun to be had with this theme! For more ideas you can see the whole Pinterest board here.

Hope ya’ll have a peachy time!

Image credits: 1. Invitation 2. Cake 3. Bride 4. Bridesmaids Dresses 5. Martinis 6. Tie 7. Tablescape

A Shindig Down the Bayou: A Bayou Inspired Dinner Party

January 18, 2016September 15, 2017Leave a comment

I was blessed with the opportunity to visit New Orleans over the summer. As a matter of fact, it was my Christmas present from my husband. Years ago I decided I was not going to ask for material things anymore, but for experiences. Visiting New Orleans had been in my bucket list for quite a while so the hubby decided to make it happen for me. He is the best! Of course my daughters got to join in the fun. Princess and the Frog is one of their favorite Disney movies so they were super excited to go. We had an amazing culinary experience there and since then my husband has continued to hone in on his Cajun cooking skills.

I love the Cajun cuisine because it is the most unpretentious comfort food. There is something about it that screams family and friends. Don’t you think? So we decided to invite several friends over to join us for a Cajun evening. Like the good event planner that I am, I was going to develop the theme at a record speed (since I only had a couple of days). We knew that we were going to serve gumbo for dinner, so I decided to go with a bayou inspired table. I guess I could have gone many different ways with it (French Quarter, Mardi gras, Princess and the Frog, etc.), but I had only a couple of days to prepare and I want it to keep the entire evening on a budget.

For the centerpiece I went to my backyard and got moss, bark from different trees and a mossy tree limb. The rest of the accessories for the centerpiece I got at the Dollar Tree. Yes, not lying Dollar Tree. I spent around $10.00 on the centerpiece in total. That included the flowers, Spanish moss, rocks, cat tails, alligator, candle holders, candles, and butterflies. The black lantern and black rope I already had, but I also bought at the Dollar Tree a while back. By the way, the green wine glasses I also bought at the Dollar Tree a while back. I know, I know!!! <*shrieking*>

And because I did so good at spending almost no money on decor I decided to splurge and make a bayou wreath for the front door. So out to Goodwill I go. I found the basket looking thing (I think it is really a lacrosse pocket but don’t believe me) that reminded me of the cages used to catch craw fish or shrimp, so I decided to go with it. I knew I didn’t want a typical wreath and it was only going to cost me $1.51 so why not? The dragonfly and paper I bought at Hobby Lobby BUT I used a 40% off coupon so… ended up pending around $3.50 on the wreath. Not bad, not bad at all!

For cocktail hour we served two appetizers, shrimp and grits cakes with a Scuppernong wine Beurre Blanc topped with a drizzle of blackberry rum reduction and mini muffuletta sandwiches. Hurricane cocktails, Abita Andygators (Louisiana beer), and Pinot Grigio to drink. For dinner, we served mesclun mix salad with a cane syrup vinaigrette and chicken and andouille sausage gumbo as the main course. As sides, we served white rice and also added yellow ripe plantains to cut the spiciness of the gumbo. For dessert, Flambe Bananas Foster a la mode (with aged rum of course).

The Zydeco music on the background added another element to the festive and very relaxed atmosphere. So much fun to be had out there with so little time to make memories. This dinner party shows you that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to have friends over and celebrate life. This theme can be easily translated to a birthday party, wedding, etc. You just have to look for an excuse!

Mood Board: Coachella Inspired Sweet 16

January 5, 2016September 15, 20172 Comments

Mood Board Themed Party: Coachella Inspired Sweet 16 injinnyous,com

I have to admit I can’t go anywhere without finding inspiration for a party. The other day (as I was casually walking into Home Depot to buy paint), I found the cutest cacti in bloom. The colors of the flowers were vibrant and the textures so different that I fell in love with them. I took a picture and immediately started thinking of the different things that I could do with them.

The most obvious was a Mexican fiesta but to me that is way too expected, so I decided I would give it some more thought. When I got home, I shared with my teenager daughter my find. I wanted to do a themed Sweet 16 with them so I asked her if she had any ideas. She instantly responded: “Coachella!”. Absolutely, Coachella it is. It’s perfect!

Coachella is an annual Arts and Music festival that takes place in the spring in the Colorado desert in California. As you can expect, the ambiance is super casual and has an all around bohemian feel. Lots of celebrities attend each year making it an instant “add it to the bucket list” for teens.

I decided to do a Coachella during the day party for my mood board, but you can do a Coachella at night as well. Just add lots of lighted art installations. With this theme the sky is the limit, it is an arts festival after all! Now, let’s face it, you can’t have a Coachella party without good music. Live bands and entertainment! To top it all off, just found out today that Guns N’ Roses is reuniting this year at Coachella. It can’t get any better than that.

Oh Sweet Child O’ Mine, it’s time to get to planning this festival.

You can see the whole Pinterest board here.

Image credits: 1. Lounge 2. Table 3. Models 4. Invitation 5. Cacti 6. Cake 7. Hanging Floral

Blues Behind, New Year Ahead

December 31, 2015September 15, 2017Leave a comment

Blues Behind New Year Ahead.jpg

Festive and extravagant are the best words to describe this new year eve’s party. Gueridon service, a champagne bar, entertainers for the guests, a lively band, and fireworks. What else can you ask for?

This party is all about metallics on metallics because there is not a more appropiate time for metallics than new year. At Injinnyous, we are getting tired of the black and gold or silver and white new year parties, so we decided to change it up a little with sapphire blue instead of black. I see this host having a couple of changes of clothes. Maybe after midnight. How fun!

It’s ok. Don’t be blue, you can have a nice party too.

To see the whole Pinterest board go here.

Image credits: 1. Gown 2. Dessert 3. Champagne Tower 4. Invitation 5. Table 6. Cake

Seamless Love Beach Inspired Invitation

December 28, 2015September 15, 20172 Comments

Happy Monday! I just want it to take a moment to share with you the latest project I’ve been working on. I was super excited when I was approached by the husband’s mother to help her select a gift and design an invitation for her son and his wife’s surprise vow renewal. See the trick here was to choose and design something without the couple’s input as the party proposal (therefore the invitation) was going to be the Christmas gift to the couple.

The couple had a modest wedding 10 years ago. They got married at the beach with a handful of friends and family, so the mom wanted to gift them with a bigger ceremony this time around. They got married at the beach, the wife is an island girl, the husband is a surfer, and their bedroom is decorated in soft blues and creams. As a matter of fact, his mom described him as having sea water in his veins. How cute is that! The theme was therefore a no brainer. I couldn’t go wrong with a beach color palette. After talking with the mom for a while I learned that she was looking for a casual elegant vibe for the party. My marching orders were in!

I have to admit I gave A LOT of thought to the gift part. After all, it’s not every day someone receives a “I’m throwing you a vow renewal party” gift for Christmas. Such a thoughtful gesture required an equally thoughtful gift. It wasn’t the material gift that was important, but the meaning. I was instructed with the challenging task of making them imagine the ceremony once they opened the gift. It finally came to me! They have a precious 6 year old that would make the most beautiful flower girl, so I decided that the physical present would be the flower girl basket. What a most special moment for a parent than to see their little girl walk down the aisle as their flower girl? I could not think of something more emotional than that (but maybe I’m biased because I’m a parent myself).

I envisioned the basket made out of a large shell and with that my search began. The best tip I can give you, when looking for something unique ALWAYS try etsy.com first. I certainly found what I was looking for and able to customize with my color palette. Jessica from Urban Elements was very helpful, easy to work with and my order arrived as she promised it would.

The inspiration for the invitation was driftwood on the beach. I imagined a beautiful shell getting caught up in the driftwood and the invitation was born. Choosing the right shade of blue was imperative to keep the casual elegance requested. After some soul searching I decided on the shade of blue you see below. A month after I chose the color Pantone released their 2016 color of the year, Serenity. You can’t even begin to imagine my excitement when I discover that I had chosen the color before they even released it. Score!

She did say casual elegant so I chose a crystal metallic cardstock and a metallic silver baker’s twine to give the touch of elegance she was looking for. The shell charm had different shades of blue and gray streaks that tied the blue and gray of the invitation. It also had rhinestones which make it pop even more. I cut the silver baker’s twine and frayed the ends to resemble a shell lodged in the driftwood. The envelope insert was chosen because it resembled driftwood and because it would tone down the elegance of the metallics of the invitation to give a more casual look and feel to the overall invitation. To finish it up I did the calligraphy for the envelope in white ink.

I am very pleased with the end result and most importantly the client was VERY PLEASED as well. So sad the picture doesn’t do it justice.