Vintage Meets Elegance at the Greenhouse

Who knew that a greenhouse and a sprinkling of vintage elegance would pair oh-so-perfectly together? Someone who already loves anything green and floral, of course! Melissa Mathis of Forever and A Day Events and Design, an international wedding planner and floral designer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, teamed up with Samantha James Photography and other local (and talented!) vendors to create this light and airy style shoot.
 

Melissa selected the Greenhouse at Downtown Market for its “simple and elegant” allure. In her mind, it had just the right ingredients to make the style shoot she envisioned become a reality. The greenhouse wasn’t just gorgeous, it was an ideal blank slate. Its natural greenery and airy nature brought balance to the decor and allowed the different design elements and whimsical pieces to stand out.

Melissa, an avid lover of pinks, incorporated equally soft colors–peach and mint–throughout her design. She believes these colors to be the “epitome of a vintage palette.” A darling mint green chest, provided by The Rental Company, was a colorful piece Melissa was happy to incorporate as a dessert buffet. Another key piece was the farmhouse table. It was dressed beautifully with a delicate display of dishware from Gigi & LaClede. “I always love an elegant wedding but wanted to marry two styles together,” Melissa explains. “The vintage elements in the furniture really popped against the greenhouse. The whimsical aspect of the floral arrangements went great with the farmhouse table. I was picturing a shoot with a lot of movement and I like that we all achieved it perfectly!”

Melissa used silver dollar eucalyptus, David Austin roses, standard roses, spray roses, ranunculus, seeded eucalyptus and carnations throughout her design–the silver dollar eucalyptus adding just the right amount of whimsy.
 

The model wore a stunning dress from Spring Sweet in Holland, Michigan. The textured bodice, flowing fabric and ruffled detail along the neckline allowed for movement and dimension. Krystle of Krystle Waivio Hair designed a low, curly bun with a fishtail braid that was pulled apart for texture–a nod to the same light, yet elegant nature of the shoot. Dawn Petzak with BeautiControl finished the look with a sultry makeup in taupe and gray tones. The groom wore a blue tux from Dunhill Tuxedos.                    

For Melissa, the dessert buffet was the best part of this shoot! She says,“It was so fun collaborating with Ginger Bakes on the spread. I wanted to provide texture with the desserts so that is why I went with the buffet. I didn’t want just a classic cake but a variety of looks and types.” The mini cakes and one-of-a-kind doughnuts in shades of mint and peach were the perfect touch of dainty deliciousness. We have to say, these were certainly some of the prettiest doughnuts we've ever seen!

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