simon and i are getting married in a cozy, beautiful barn, and on top of that... we will be saying our vows in front of a huge fireplace. (this works out extremely well since i am always cold, not to mention, absolutely in love with fire places.)
the only problem is i can't decide how to decorate the mantel. candles? flowers? garlands? branches? picture frames?
i'd love your creative suggestions. and p.s. thanks so much for indulging all this wedding talk too. :) you guys are lovely.
(photo credit: house and home)
flowers, greenery and candles! soo romantic!!!
ReplyDeleteCandles, flowers and perhaps sentimental family photographs.
ReplyDeleteI think candles would be lovely, but make sure you're allowed to have open flames in the "cozy barn." If not, flowers and greenery and ribbons could be nice.
ReplyDeletecandles and pictures - maybe some older photos of you & simon as cute kiddos!
ReplyDeleteWell, I like the idea of some loose flowers + a few pictures frames separated by simple white candles. This is assuming the mantel has enough space for those things & depth. If that would be too busy, then I'd go with picture frame + candles. I think candles are a huge must because, well, it sounds glorious.
ReplyDeleteLove the idea for your wedding venue! You guys are too cute =)
Oh my! That is beyond romantic! I am totally smitten with this (as I, too, am always cold, ha!)
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of nature-y things like branches and leaves and whatnot (but not as much flowers). So that takes my vote. I think candles would be nice, too, but would there be any way to display them on the wall (such as sconces or little shelves) above the fireplace? If the ceiling is high, you should definitely take advantage of that; it gives fireplaces such a statement as a focal piece.
Plus, as you had a post about it before, bunting! I adore fabric garlands of the sort. That would be lovely!
I love the idea of candles and picture frames. I loved how Joanna from A Cup of Jo had old family photographs at her wedding. but some flowers on the mantel would be nice too, to prettify and soften the rustic barn.
ReplyDeletewhy not all of it? i love the idea of weddings that just look natural and not so put together. decorate it like you would if the mantle was in your own house. i used vintage jewelry and cigar boxes that i've been collecting for years to decorate our welcome table. i also used a lot of my own table cloths. it gave it a personal, not to mention, cost effective touch. and, i think our guests really loved that we had brought so many items from our home to share with them.
ReplyDeletegenius celia! :) i can't wait to see your wedding photos!
ReplyDeleteI love weddings that are decorated with branches because it has a natural beauty and keeps things simple, yet elegant. Plus, it's much cheaper than flowers! I'm not sure how I feel about pictures on the mantel. It may be nice to just have the two of you and the pastor. I have seen many weddings where the parents/grandparents' photos were near the cake or the guestbook.
ReplyDeleteAnd keep the wedding posts coming!! I love to read through your engagement journey. :)
What a great location, Nina! If you wanted to introduce light without having to deal with candles, I think white twinkly Christmas lights (fairy lights!) would be a great idea. You could bounce the light off of (or inside) glass globes to add an extra-festive feel.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what your colors/flowers are, but I really like the idea of some simple vases (or mason jars, is what i'd do) with some small candles. Simple and elegant. Sort of like this http://www.thersa.org/__data/assets/image/0020/105275/wedding_fireplace2.jpg
ReplyDeleteHi Nina! I love your blog - I follow on a regular basis :)
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a HUGE mirror and then some accent pieces. Mason jars, giant candlesticks, picture frames, but a BIG mirror opens up any room. I have that on my mantle and I swear it makes my living room look twice its size :) Maybe NOT great for pictures though - just a thought if you're going to be standing in front of it :)
www.thehappymeals.blogspot.com
love this idea...mantle needs something that sparkles and glows!
ReplyDeleteHmm, I wonder if candles and picture frames (i.e. fire and glass) would do bad things for photo taking...because of the glare, you know? Be careful of that!
ReplyDeleteFlowers and books are a great start!
I think vintage candle globes would be a warm, glowing, muted backdrop; maybe even oil lamps. Small, low to the mantel flowers would look great under the light from the candles and globes. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Nina!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations for the big event!
I love the idea of getting married in front of a fire place. So cozy and romantic.
I would definitely put some pitures of you guys and maybe some vintage-looking pics of your parents or grandparents, if you're going with the vintage look.
I don't know what to say about candles, they're definitely a fire hazard in a barn, but may result in some nice pictures if the flame is in the background. I can almost see the bokeh!
Again, if you're going with the vintage theme, I would put some flower vases or vintage pots with withered roses. My mom has a vase full of yellow roses that just withered but kept their color. They make such a great piece for a side table in her house.
If you don't like that, I would go with pastel-colored roses...
And some vintage pieces like boxes old hardcover books.
i love your wedding plans so far! the venue sounds beautiful! for the mantel, i love the branches idea, and wanted to share that for our wedding, i used long twisty branches in the centerpieces and on the head table, and we spray painted them gold (one of our colors), which looked very dramatic and gave a nice balance between elegance & rustic-ness (rusticity?) just a thought, since you're thinking of branches!
ReplyDeleteHow about branches with the wilted yellow roses in a glass container similar to the larger one pictured(http://www.potterybarn.com/products/silver-plated-hurricanes/?pkey=ccandleholders)
ReplyDeletewhite candles in the smaller ones pictured, and if you wanted, a few gardenia type flowers tucked in the branches. I see the mantel as an extension of you, so white and candlelight, and a little bit of yellow. You could do white lights instead, as long as the cord wouldn't have to hang down one side of the fireplace to find an outlet.
seafans? i love that look on a fireplace.
ReplyDeleteDepending on your color preferences and in keeping with the season and rustic barn setting ... how about:
ReplyDelete• bittersweet/pipberry or other faux fall-like/greenery/berry-laden garland
• hurricane lamps with pillar candles
• faux sunflowers tucked into the garland
• pumpkins -- either real or papier mache (so easy to paint to your liking)
• small framed love quotes/autumn quotes
• potted mums -- if the mantle is substantial enough for them
• twinkle lights interwoven with the garland -- you can often find battery powered lights if there isn't an outlet handy
I'm big on being crafty and using decorative items that can be enjoyed again and again. I love fresh flowers, but they don't last given the investment. Michael's/A.C. Moore often have a variety of beautiful faux flowers, greenery, garland, etc. If you invest your wedding dollars on these types of items, then you can decorate your home with them for years to come. Sentimental and practical. Especially given that these types of items are now on clearance to make way for Christmas goodies.
It's going to be lovely, Nina! Simon's mom was telling me just a bit about the venue when she was here the other day. What a lovely day it will be.
Let me know if you'd like some help crafting. We're not far from your Maine family after all....
A barn with a mantel sounds so perfect - I'm so excited about your wedding already.
ReplyDeleteCelia's idea of making it like your mantel at homes sounds so lovely - mine would be covered in cameras and candles!
flowers are too normal...candles, sticks.....more organic type of things seem more like you.....
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't happen to have pictures from the weddings of other members of your family would you? I love the thought of having pictures of your grandparents and/or parent's weddings in antique frames (with the barn local, this would be beautiful) on the mantel.
ReplyDeleteThis too would mean that their wedding pictures would be captured in a lot of YOUR wedding pictures...what a display of history and love, devotion, family and commitment...
I love the idea of candles, flowers, greenery and special items from your lives. Sounds beautiful, Nina!
ReplyDeletethank you all so much for your beautiful ideas :)
ReplyDeleteI also love the idea of the flowers/candles. What about a sweet vintage looking Bunting type of garland hanging from the mantle with your monogram or new last name? Did that make sense? It looks good in my head! :)
ReplyDeleteHow about framed photos of your parents and grandparents and Simon's parents and grandparents on their wedding days. And then maybe a shadowbox of special things between you and Simon (i.e. mementos from a special trip or from where you got engaged) I slapped the idea together here; this might be a bit busy, but hopefully you can get my idea: http://www.thesilveracorn.com/downloads/mantelIdea.png
ReplyDeleteLinda
I'm sorry Miss Mercedes, I didn't see that you had already suggested this, my bad,
ReplyDeleteLinda: I never have a problem when great minds think alike! LOL :o)
ReplyDeleteI Love fire places as well! i think something simple like garland and little tea lights with in it.
ReplyDeleteFire places are great, so cozy and romantic. I also love candles but i would worry that the softer light from them will get swept away by the brighter fire place flames. Maybe you could think about a mantle of photos, art, and found objects that you both like or that are meaningful to you?
ReplyDeleteWell, if ur going to havea fireplace, then i would avoid having candles on the mantle- simply cuz it could just be overkill. As a photographer, I absolutley love the idea of having both photos and branches.
ReplyDeleteJust my 2 cents :)