Photography by: Kate Harrison
Summary
Where did we get the term Shabby Chic from? Some feel the turn of phrase is simply a clever alliteration invented by designers to capitalize on the idea of creating design from used flea market materials. Let’s clear that up: according to Webster’s Dictionary, Shabby Chic is real and here to stay. The Shabby Chic wedding has a decisively feminine feel – it is a design style inspired by thrift store and antique finds, usually themed in a light, neutral color pallet. When choosing furniture to fit your design, you will concentrate on items that have a distressed or antiqued look. Overall you are trying to evoke a feeling of a casual and relaxed lifestyle, incorporating elements that are soft to the touch, welcoming, and inviting. This inspiration board created from the wonderful photography of Kate Harrison is a great example of a Shabby Chic wedding, and Beltane Ranch in Sonoma wears it well. The venue itself offers vintage automobiles and an old barn all nestled in a grove of ancient oaks. When you incorporate a traditional pale rose bouquet, table arrangements in vintage terracotta pots, and escort cards suspended from a clothes line, you have an affair that is uniquely yours.
Color Palette and Venue Recommendations
There are so many great locales in the Bay Area that do Shabby Chic well: The Headlands Center For The Arts, The Mill Valley Outdoor Art Club, and this color palette and design would be great at The Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club. The color palette of dusty rose, petal pink, and corn silk are great for any Shabby Chic or Vintage Styling.
