Idyllwild Event Design

03/09/2024

Fave Idyllwild wedding cakes over the years. 🧁

Sure, minimalism has its moment (and we love a chic, understated cake). But giant, maximalist masterpieces, dripping with intricate sugar flowers and fruit? They are everything.

Artisanal cakes like these are a ✨full ✨sentence.✨period.✨

Each one is a freestanding work of art—marrying color, texture, and theme with handcrafted beauty and mouthwatering flavor. Not gonna lie, there’s something magical about seeing your wedding palette come to life in a form you can see, smell, and yes, taste. 🍰 And the best part? The sugar flowers can last forever.

Yes, a multi-tiered, custom-designed cake is an investment (in fabulousness!) But it doesn’t have to be out of reach. Talk to your cake designer about workarounds: dummy tiers, cutting cakes, and other tricks to help bring that dream cake into your life.

Dream Makers:
1: by
2: Detail: Mamie Brougitte Cakes by
3/4: by
5: Mamie Brougitte Cakes by .co
6/7: by

01/09/2024

Steeped in history and woven into the landscape, Risa & Teal’s intimate pastoral weekend wedding was the perfect blend of romance and natural beauty. Set against the lush grounds of Dutchess Farm at Old Stone Farm in Staatsburg, NY, this event was designed to honor the couple’s love for nature, family, and timeless elegance. Every detail, from the candlelit tablescapes to the woodland vows, was a reflection of their unique story. We are honored to have brought their dream to life, surrounded by the beauty of Hudson Valley’s historic charm.”


✨ Featured Vendors:
Photography: DAG Photography
Event Design: Idyllwild Event Design
Venue: The Dutchess
Floral: Idyllwild Event Design
Dress: Something Bleu x Flora Bridal
Beauty: Stephanie Mazumdar

20/08/2024

On this lovely cool morning, let’s celebrate the Toffee rose, shall we? Toffee is one of the loveliest summer/fall transitional rose varieties. Pair it with blush, gold, orange, burgundy… Like a pair of dapper oxfords, it’s chic, understated, and goes with everything. Never underestimate the power of brown!
#

03/08/2024

S+T in the forest of delight, lookin’ like they stepped out of a dream.


Photo by

02/08/2024

Free-spirited Hudson Valley farm wedding bouquet goals. ✨
Photo by

09/03/2022

30/11/2021

Loving the way Nicole / Heirloom Stationery] cleverly combined her place cards with the menu here. Here’s hoping your gatherings were golden, the feasting was furious, and the socializing felt a little less distant this year. 💕🤍💕

Venue:
Photography:
Event Design + Floral: .Events
Stationery + Calligraphy Art: Nicole / Heirloom Stationery]

19/11/2021

I wanted to send you into the weekend with this stunning invitation suite designed by Nicole Nicole / Heirloom Stationery]
You know I love a story, and when Nicole heard that we were channeling John Muir for this shoot, she took it upon herself to hand letter this silk ribbon with his beautiful words! It’s that kind of innovation and personalized attention to detail that make a vendor stand out. (Also check out Nicole’s Central Park-themed suites over on her website! I’m obsessed with them!)
And of course, if you’re planning a mountain love party of your own and need help assembling a fabulous vendor team, smash that little email button up there and let’s get started! Happy weekend everyone!

Venue:
Photography:
Event Design + Floral Artistry: .Events
Videography: for .sees.stars
Makeup + Hair:
Stationery + Calligraphy Art: Nicole / Heirloom Stationery]
Cake:
Gown: “Archer” by
Suit:
Models: +

17/11/2021

Harvest Gold 🏆

Venue:
Photography:
Event Design + Floral: .Events
Videography: for .sees.stars
Makeup + Hair:
Stationery + Calligraphy Art:
Cake:
Gown: “Archer” by
Suit:
Models: +

12/11/2021

A little John Muir to start your weekend. May you enter into it with every pore and cell filled with a sense of adventure.

Venue:
Photography:
Event Design + Floral Artistry: .Events
Videography: for .sees.stars
Makeup + Hair:
Stationary + Calligraphy Art:
Cake:
Gown: “Archer” by
Suit:
Models: +

10/11/2021

All right, look. I can select the setting, the flowers, even the attire. But it’s the *you* of it that makes moments like this special.
This couple is so calm, kind, quirky, talented… (not to mention effortlessly attractive). Does all that not shine through in every pixel of this image?
There were times during the day (when the team would pause to discuss technical stuff), and we would hear these two off in some nook softly playing and singing sweetly to one another! SWOOOON!
There’s just no mistaking the magic of storytelling (and a stellar vendor team can’t hurt, either)!
Venue:
Photography:
Event Design + Floral Artistry: .Events
Videography: for .sees.stars
Makeup + Hair:
Stationary + Calligraphy Art:
Cake:
Gown: “Archer” by
Suit:
Models: +

31/10/2021

The whole damned crew is wishing you a pretty, scary Halloween!

07/10/2021

G’morning from the mountains! There’s a lot below, so I’ll put the TL;DR at the top:
I do it because I love my clients! We’re going to be welded to one another for months- or even years (thanks, Covid)- so a great fit is imperative.
My photog friends are always trying to sneak photos of me with my work, and I’m always like, “No no, I’m a mess,” or “Stop! It’s not my wedding, what are you doing?”
But pointed out to me last summer how important it is to educate people about what goes on behind the scenes. And I’m here to tell you that while I *love* what I do, and it is *so* rewarding to create for the fabulous couples who engage my design services, it is definitely hard work!
I spend 40 to 100 hours on a Full-Service (custom designed) event. I create digital mockups, I build the structures myself (yes, complete with saws, drills, and nail guns), I photograph inventory, I use computer-aided design tools, I liaise with the other vendors, I source the linens, the china, the vintage, the floral, the paper goods, and hundreds of other random (if lovely) things the couple wants…
I spend many hours driving to remote locations, measuring the forest, loading and unloading hundreds of pounds of lumber, climbing ladders, hauling structures up and down mountains in the rain…
I try to hold lots of space as seemingly simple conversations about seating displays give way to tearful confessionals about family drama and who can’t sit near whom and why, about how mom is or isn’t being supportive, about the sister who drinks too much, about the many challenges of trying to please all the major players on the guest list.
I run around putting out fires that my clients never even know about. There’s a monsoon fifteen minutes before your ceremony? I got you. Your venue didn’t respond about your social distancing concerns? Little did you know I purchased and refinished a thousand dollars worth of tiny tables and brought them to the venue, just in case. (Continued in comments, because I love to write!)

05/10/2021

I know I’m not alone here, so I’ll just say it: There is a whole beautiful world beyond our devices.
I was thrilled with the SM moratorium yesterday. It’s exactly the kind of thing that’s supposed to happen when Mercury is in retrograde- communication breaks down so that areas for growth can be revealed. It was like a gift-wrapped permission slip to participate in reality.
I connected with my partner. I made real food. I read an actual book- like with real ink on paper! My kid, who is home sick, got the undivided attention she deserves. I also got to focus on the aspects of my business I actually enjoy: creating beauty, connecting with heart-centered, creative, kind, intelligent couples and vendors, social justice and environmental endeavors, educating, and storytelling.
It also gave me a chance to assess what energy I do and do not want in my life and business, and my assessment is that I’m 90% where I want to be. And if an afternoon off from institutional voyeurism had managed to break me in some way, at least I would be aware of it.
So I’m happy to have Mercury come and burn down the internet once in a while. Maybe I’m a total Luddite, but I feel life before this virtual insanity was a lot more engaging anyway. 🤷🏽‍♀️
For the curious, pictured are dried Quickfire Hydrangea, a “Casper” ghost pumpkin, and about a zillion Cornel Bronze dahlias my partner grew for me at our off-grid homestead (a place where the internet has, mercifully, yet to have made a measurable impact). Plus some pink velvet, because obviously. 😉
If you read this far, tell me how you reacted when it all went down and what you did with your glorious Autumn afternoon! 👇🏽

01/10/2021

It’s Friday, it’s October, that foliage ‘bout to go OFF, and caught this guy’s incredible vertical.
It’s fall, ya’ll! Let’s go out and haul some pumpkins!

01/10/2021

It’s Friday, it’s October, that foliage ‘bout to go OFF, and caught this guy’s incredible vertical.
It’s fall, ya’ll! Let’s go out and haul some pumpkins!

28/09/2021

It’s nearly impossible to find one image that conveys the love and the unadulterated joy of A&M’s wedding. (They had karaoke at their reception, ya’ll!) But I thought did a wonderful job of capturing the scope of feeling and togetherness with these beautiful shots. Congratulations, A&M! It was a bee-autiful day and your are bee-autiful people!

         

24/09/2021

I’m just in love with this sweet family. Aside from the fact the M&B are the parents of an adorable 4 y.o.- something to which I can totally relate- B is an educator, a yogini, and is committed to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion through her work. 😍 We connected instantly, and it brought me so much joy to see them wed in one if my favorite places on earth. The night before there was a freak water and power outage at their accommodations, yet they rolled with every single moment, knowing the most important thing was that they were each marrying their best friend. (Cue the tears!) They arrived on-site looking calm, and happy, and so beautiful, and they were greeted with perfect weather and loving, positive vibes from all their guests. So happy for you, M&B. Sending 🤍 to you all and wishing you many more years of happiness together!
📷:

21/09/2021

I mean… I’m not usually at a loss for words. This couple can certainly attest to that. 😜

But even the sneek peeks I’ve seen from DAG Photography] have truly left me speechless. Is there any literal thing more dreamy than this pastoral setting and the golden glow enveloping R&T right here? Speechless.

Venue:
Photo: DAG Photography]
Coordination:
Design and Floral (me): .events
Gown:

07/09/2021

🍁Bust out the cider!🍁

03/09/2021

Friday Night Whites 🤍
S&T’s entire wedding was on point, but I think my favorite was the all-white bridal party. That takes real confidence on the part of the bride, and this bride has *every* right to be confident! 🔥🔥🔥

📷:
Gown: “Amancia”

02/09/2021

🍁🍂September’s arrival coupled with this warm edit by have me ready for cider season. 🍂🍁

24/08/2021

These two hotties. 🙌🏽🙌🏽
captured soooo many wonderful moments from K&M’s wedding that I didn’t quite know which to share, so I’m sharing a bunch.
This couple has impeccable taste, were an absolute joy to work with, were organized, kind, collaborative, and seriously knew how to party. (Swipe to see K crowd-surfing in her custom gown!)
They took everything that was thrown at them in stride, including a Covid reschedule and an historic rainfall that moved their ceremony to *three* different sites. Yet look at them getting down like dance floor heroes! It’s a wonderful reminder that no matter what happens regarding your day, you choose how you respond to it. So why not choose gratitude, resilience, and unbridled joy!?
I can’t sufficiently express the joy and gratitude *I* feel for their trust, but I can say I’m thrilled that they finally got their moment.
KM🤍MA forever.

23/08/2021

Not sure this needs much of a caption because, well, just look at these two.

E&T gave me a notebook cover from as their floral inspiration!
Warm, woodland wonderland wedding vibes at courtesy:

📷: deirdreandjon
MUA:
Gown:

17/08/2021

It’s a big year for wedding pups, so I thought I’d commemorate the cuteness!
This season is such a whirlwind. In addition to a double-decker schedule of events, there’s a lot of very serious stuff happening in the world right now. It sure is keeping every moment in perspective.
I’m so grateful for each and every moment with my couples, but they’re also flying by so fast I can’t even share one event before the next is upon us! So I’m popping in with some fur baby sweetness from C&M’s cocktail hour. Who doesn’t love a matching set of pups in formalwear? 🐶🐶

16/08/2021

Fruits of the season.
🍎🍊🍋🫐🍆🌈

13/08/2021

A classic shape and lovely soft palette for D&S, expertly captured by .co

12/08/2021

Some local color for your morning: Mountains and rainbows and dinner for two with a view.
📷:
⛰:
💐+🍽: (me!) .events
💒+🍑 :

20/07/2021

It’s Zinnia time! Like little smiley faces, these wee gems bring cheer to even the most staid of tabletops. Plus, they’re local! If you’re in the Hudson Valley, you can take the kiddos and snip your own at

09/07/2021

I was having a kiki and talking color and process a while back with my friend and photo magician DAG Photography]. Some people love a high intensity, high contrast look. It’s fun, youthful, and energetic!
I love all colors, but I usually gravitate towards a desaturated, warm analogous palette with a cool accent. That’s because- in both calm and tumultuous times- I prefer to move with ease, rest, and breath. Outdoors, soft light, mild breezes, peace and quiet. That’s what soft and color and texture say to me.
What’s your color story and, more importantly, what does it say about you?
📷: DAG Photography]