DESIGN INSPIRATION IS EVERYWHERE

When it comes to design, it's difficult to know which came first -- the chicken or the egg. When I trace the origin of our team's event design ideas, I'm led to different places. The Low Country Wedding was inspired by our Floral Director Kim Vasil's frequent trips to the wind-swept coastal Carolinas; our Eco-Chic Topiaries were inspired by a client who requested something "playful yet green"; our "Tuscan Evening" look was an extension of Summerour's already classic Italian design with Rosemary-lined walkways, upper loggia, and wrought iron details.

Ideas can come from a favorite phrase, an old sepia-toned photograph, a swatch of fabric or a flock of birds. Event Designer Lois Bourne says she "feels most inspired" by whatever she's reading. Haunted by Peter Mayle's "A Year in Provence," Bourne has set her design sights on the South of France. She'll be incorporating Mayle's story into her design work. The story drips with imagery -- the sun-baked afternoons, rolling hills peppered with Sunflowers, and cafe tables spilling out from indoors onto the narrow streets under clear blue skies. Indeed the story is ripe for design. By paying attention to sources like these, our entire team keeps designs fresh and relevant.

EDG WINS NACE EVENT TRENDS AWARD

Event Design Group won gold in The Greater Atlanta Chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) annual Event Trends competition. Event Design Group's Floral Director Kim Vasil created a "Low Country Beach Wedding" from sea - weathered branches, Spanish Moss, driftwood and tumbleweed, "As if blown loose by a powerful gale," Vasil said. Sponsored by Proof of the Pudding, this table was representative of the growing trend in destination weddings. Simple, beach-swept romanticism was the goal. Sand was essential, but used only as a complementary note. With hydrangea finishes, Victorian seashell boxes, and tiny details scattered in the sand Vasil created a delicate look that was tailored, illuminated by pewter lanterns, and interwoven with mariner's rope. Though destination weddings are all the rage, Vasil says not to worry. "If the wedding party doesn't want to travel to the beach, now we can just bring the beach to the wedding party." One thing is certain Vasil has created a Low Country Destination Wedding look to die for.