THE DALLAS WEDDING...

IF I COULDN'T LIVE IN CALIFORNIA, I'D LIVE IN TEXAS...
JUST FOR THE PEOPLE...

Long time since my last post....
I've had a little adventure...(or should I call it a misadventure?)
Funny how one moment you are just fine and the next - not so fine...

I flew to Dallas to do a wedding for a most beautiful bride...

and her handsome groom

and ended up in the hospital for 2 days...

The reception was being held in the bride's backyard - she wanted an English country garden theme -
and the weather wasn't cooperating
the forecast was for rain, rain and more rain...
We all said a prayer
well, lots of prayers
and by the time I got to the North Dallas area, the weather was looking good...
we had a tiny window of no rain for the reception..

So the standing joke is that I don't do weddings.
(We don't mention at this point that I actually did 4 last year).
In the past, I did a lot of weddings, but switched to full-time interior design work when my son started driving himself around and the mom taxi was no longer in high demand.
Part of the reason that I stopped planning and creating weddings:
I used to panic as I drove my packed to the gills SUV full of floral arrangements and decorations to the venue - I'd think to myself - what if I get in an accident and these things never get to the bride and never get put in place and her whole wedding is ruined....?!
The stress was enormous.

So, I don't do weddings. Anymore.  With some exceptions. Obviously.
Friends, clients and family - I confess, I love to do it for them.
I get to tailor make an event where everyone is happy and everything is beautiful - what could be better?
The better I know a bride, the more personal I can make it for her.

Created for Brianna Boyd Sterling's English Garden themed wedding...

Okay, back to the Dallas wedding.  Wednesday I flew to Dallas, created all the blackboard signs, organized and made sure we had all our supplies and Thursday early we picked up the flowers, processed them, and started the centerpieces.

Created for Brianna Boyd Sterling's English Garden themed wedding...

As usual, family and friends arrived to help.  The rentals arrived, the tent and dance floor were installed and there were lights to put up in the 91 degree humid weather, and arbors to attach, and fabric to drape.

Centerpiece - Brianna Boyd Sterling wedding reception

Inside there were floral arrangements to make, and even with all the help from the most amazing family and friends (I've adopted them all now as MY friends and family) we were up until late.  My feet were a little puffy at the end of the day.  Happens sometimes when I'm on my feet all day.  

Created for Brianna Boyd Sterling

Friday, more help - amazing people in Dallas area and family from out of state - many hands really do make light work - and then with nearly everything completed, we broke for a Texas BBQ dinner and to make our lists for the next day. My feet were more swollen and my knee was a little sore as I climbed the stairs to turn in for the night.  I thought "good thing I'm going to bed so I can rest my feet and legs..."

Created for Brianna Boyd Sterling

I've been accused of being eerily calm putting a wedding together.  I tell them its because I've planned it to within an inch of its life and have it all ready - so nothing to worry about - but actually I'm usually very calm in a crisis... a gift from my mother who had that trait and more than enough kids to have experienced multiple crises.  But I didn't feel calm the next morning....

Created for Brianna Boyd Sterling

In the morning, my left leg, knee and foot were so swollen, I couldn't walk.   Literally could not put weight on the leg - the pain was excruciating - and I have a high pain threshold.  I hadn't bumped it, twisted it, fallen on it - nothing. I still had a lot to do for the reception - a few more floral arrangements, all the linens, votives, candles, the chair ties, and putting all the details in place - while the family enjoyed the wedding and a luncheon.  The photographer was coming early to take photos. The caterer was already in the kitchen.  My worst nightmare was coming true - a wedding I couldn't complete.

Created for Brianna Boyd Sterling

I admit I was scared and a little weepy, and what the heck was going on with my knee?? I prayed for help, but mostly I prayed that I'd be able to finish the job, that the family - my friends - would not be disappointed in me and that the bride and groom would not have their day ruined because of my knee problem.

I truly believe that God often answers our prayers with people.

Created for Brianna Boyd Sterling

After trying to walk with the use of a pole and finding it too painful, I collapsed into a chair and into despair. There was so much to do - how was I going to finish flowers or put linens on when I couldn't move?
A few moments later the door opened and a mom and her daughter popped their heads in.  They said they were friends of the family and they were here to help.  I'm sure they were thinking they would help out for a couple of hours, but as soon as they understood the problem, they were committed.  They did everything I asked, became my legs, and were calm and amazing. They never left my side.  A little while later, two more friends arrived who had actually helped the day before and who took over seamlessly the things that needed to be done outdoors.  If they had a question, they took a picture with their phone so I could see if they were doing it correctly.  These amazing women were my answer to prayer.  Janae, Tammy, Laura and Beth - I do love you, you know....

Cake Topper - Created for Brianna Boyd and Corbin Sterling

That evening, at the emergency room, I was reminded how quickly your life can change.  How in the blink of an eye you are reminded just how very small and powerless you are.  No less than 5 medical professionals looked at my knee and my leg that evening, and although it was in the back of some of their minds, no one really believed I had a blood clot until it showed up on the sonogram. It just didn't present like one.  No pain unless I was putting weight on my knee, no redness, nothing 'hot' to the touch.  The clot wasn't even near the knee, but near the groin.  But there it was.

Had I boarded the plane the next day as planned, it could have been fatal.

Life is full of tender mercies.  Little miracles.  Angels who show up on your doorstep.  I have so much for which to be thankful.

Gift Table

I hear the wedding reception was beautiful.... can't wait to see the rest of the pictures.

Sign in Table

Dessert Table

Tree near front entry

Happy bride and groom...

Love and cake...

I will post more when the photos are in.... :)

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QUESTION FROM A READER:

Hi,

I have been struggling with how to paint/decorate my main floor bathroom for over a year now!  My son has been in Turkey teaching for the past year and is coming home next week.  I would love to have this room painted and finished before he arrives.  I can't stand the thought of him coming home to find it in the exact state he saw it in a year ago!!

I am struggling with the fact that all the other rooms in my home are painted in shades of brown and/or tan. Also, the small hallway, which the bathroom is off of, is wallpapered in a small subtle taupe and cream leaf pattern.  The picture below shows BM Museum Piece and a possible shower curtain/towel, which I have since returned.  I just don't feel that I should introduce a different color scheme, but also don't know how to incorporate browns and tans. What do I do for a shower curtain and towels?

Please help!!

Thank you,

Sonja

Sometimes its hard to break out of our tan/brown/beige safety zone.  A transition that might be a little easier than adding a new color to your scheme would be to try a color that plays well with the browns and tans you have - say a grayed down blue or a gray beige.  The guest bathroom, or powder room, is a room that can handle a little drama.  Here are some suggestions for changes that won't rock your color world...

Gray blends nicely with beige and brown, is neutral and calming

A blue gray will blend with all the tan and brown colors of your home - it is 

still a neutral if it has enough gray in it..

Try BM DEEP SILVER..

Another neutral that pairs nicely with browns, tans, beige

is Sherwin Williams SEA SALT.

If that much of a change scares you - try a nice neutral light gray or beige on the walls

and paint the ceiling in the SEA SALT

Although this isn't actually Sea Salt on this ceiling, it gives you an idea of the effect...

my favorite gray/beige paint color is BM Revere Pewter

You can see it goes well with browns.  Imagine this with a Sea Salt ceiling....yummy!

another grayed neutral with a touch of color that pairs nicely with brown tones is

Sherwin Williams CONTENTED.

Try Sherwin Williams INTELLECTUAL GRAY, another gray/beige paint color

with SEA SALT or CONTENTED on the ceiling for a little drama.

I would stay close to the color of the tile for the shower curtain, maybe bringing in some texture to the fabric there, and bump up the towels with a color that resembles the SEA SALT or CONTENTED or the DEEP SILVER, combined with some cream/white.  Add some silver touches - and you have a new look!

Good Luck!

ADDED/UPDATE:
Hi Claudine, Thanks so much for your quick reply!! Sea Salt was the very first color I tried, but thought it was 
too "muddy"???? (Just goes to show how little I know :-)!) I am heading to the store right now to get swatches of the other colors you suggested.  I have been stuck on the black trim in the wall tile and whether it is too jarring against some of the nice wall colors I have tried.  It seems that the transition from the border of black tile to the painted wall isn't as easy to make as one might think?! Also, I am thinking about a cotton waffle weave shower curtain and a wooden blind of some type. Thought it would be good to incorporate some texture and nature elements. Thoughts?

Hope you and your leg/knee are feeling much better!! - Scary stuff!!!!

Thank you,

Sonja

Sonja:  You are on the right track with the shower curtain and blind - adding a few black touches (black framed art, etc.) will make the trim seem more of a design decision instead of something you are stuck with.  You could even sew a black and white greek key trim on the shower curtain or on the edge of a roman shade/valance.  A grayed down color will blend much easier with the black.  Use it as an accent, and it will all pull together!  

Thanks for the well wishes.  Limping a little but otherwise feeling great!