It seems like forever ago but early this spring I shot a spread for MN Meetings & Events Magazine styled by the ever so talented Marsha Hunt & Bridget Connell, co-owners of Haute Flower Boutique, & Event Coordinator Emily Donovan at Architectural Antiques in Minneapolis. It's finally been published!! Here is a quick link to the online edition of the magazine...feel free to skip ahead to page 26!

Marsha & Bridget set out to create a table top that radiated the feeling of a sultry simmer night in the city with an eclectic, urban vibe. Inspired by Architectural Antique’s unique venue space in Minneapolis, MN with thousands of fascinating antique pieces arranged in artful disarray, they wanted to create an island of brilliantly colored florals underneath the warm glow of dozens of shimmering chandeliers.

It was love at first sight once they spotted the antique painted metal zebra; they knew they had found an inspiration point upon which to build the entire look around. The Zebra is originally from a carnival ride, most likely from the late 1940’s. Its aluminum body is hand painted in a graphic black & white, complete with leather reign. The focal point of a tablescape is usually the floral centerpiece, but they loved the idea of taking this one-of-a-kind antique piece & building our floral design around it. They created a “saddle” of pavé style orange flowers to provide a jolt of color & then added the additional floral pieces to the tablescape to anchor the color scheme at both ends of the long table. The sheer unexpectedness of it provides a jolt of color & excitement & helps create a carefree, summery, almost carousel-like atmosphere for this event. As a focal point, it created a fun & whimsical feel to the entire tablescape & allows them to see how the non-traditional use of an item can create a unique & dramatic effect.

“We used a selection of orange roses, tulips, & ranunculus with fresh oranges & tangerines. The purpose of the eye-popping orange color was to create a natural focal point for the eye to rest on amongst the delightful visual cacophony of all the eclectic antiques. The counterpoint to the bright orange was the use of teal blue accents punctuated with black & white details. In addition to our fascinating zebra (!), we used a white crocodile patterned table runner & black croc charger plates. The end result was a contemporary tablescape interspersed with carefully edited antique details, creating an interesting juxtaposition of old & new.” – Haute Flower Boutique

“Within the front aisle of our showroom, Haute Flower Boutique selected dramatic pieces, such as the circa 1905 four-foot diameter crystal chandelier, which was displayed in line with other period crystal chandeliers at varying heights over a large, custom built harvest table. Two carved walnut chairs from a Mason’s lodge where placed at the heads of the table & an assortment of brass candle stands & teal blue insulator caps where used to create small flower vases for each seat. Also on the table (with the fabulous Zebra) is a wooden trefoil that was once part of a gothic door surround, & miscellaneous pieces of glazed terracotta, which were once originally from the exterior of a building. Crystal doorknob sets, & antique door brass door plates with plenty of patina are used as part of the table arrangement as well as the letterpress letters. For the bar, a Carrera marble washstand was used, surrounded by vintage pop crates & large green shutters to create a colorful backdrop. Hanging above the vignette, is an early 20th century Quezal light fixture which features five hand-blown ‘pulled feather’ shades to balance color & organic feel throughout the scene. The delightful antique washstand was intended as an innovative way to serve iced drinks with the antique soda crates staging the extra beverages. The crystal doorknob pairs & the doorknob back plates were an interesting addition to the place setting along with the printer’s block letters. The details were chosen for their aesthetic value as well as for being great conversation starters among dinner guests.” – Architectural Antiques

Not only is Architectural Antiques a great location for meetings but it's an amazing space for you to book your wedding & reception! Hint hint...I would love to photograph a wedding here!

Wedding Tablescape