Petals and Ponderings: Classic with a Touch of Skulls

October is a beautiful time for a cozy, lush wedding, and we were very excited to meet with our autumn bride Devon and her groom Jeff. Incorporating the Halloween spirit without turning a wedding into a theme party can be tricky. So when Devon mentioned her love of skulls, we wanted to hear more.

Her vision was perfect: Classic with a touch of skulls. “Think 'Alexander McQueen,'” she said. Her color scheme was white, champagne, grey, black, deep eggplant and merlot. We loved everything about it.

We added tarnished silver pieces, accents of mercury glass and mismatched containers for a romantic, vintage feel. We picked white and grey pumpkins fresh from pumpkin patches in northern Connecticut and added Spanish moss and pillar candles in hurricane lamps. Large, messy arrangements of fall branches and seeded eucalyptus were placed at the front entry of the historic Decatur House in downtown Washington, DC, along with hurricane lamps and pumpkins to light the steps. Vines, purple seeded eucalyptus, fiddlehead ferns and scabiosa pods were entwined into the front gate. Together, these elements created a dark, mysterious feel in an intimate and romantic setting.

As for the touch of skulls, this is where a hint of Devon’s playful irreverence came through. Guests found a subtle crystal or mercury glass skull on each dining table. We added a special, secret surprise for Devon herself. On her bridal bouquet, she found a small, crystal encrusted skull nestled beneath the flowers, a keepsake of her beautiful wedding day.

Flowers we used: Sahara and majolica roses, dahlia, picasso and black calla lilies, fiddlehead ferns, dusty miller, brunia berry, cream hydrangea, ornamental grasses and berries, scabiosa pod

Thanks to all the talented individuals and organizations who collaborated on Devon and Jeff’s wedding: