Blog - Elizabeth Duncan Events

Featured on: Ruffled-Runway to Table 2017

June 23, 2017 by Elizabeth

We have the best time designing our annual Runway to Table shoot! Pulling inspiration from the season’s hottest runway trends, we created a sophisticated, contemporary and fashion-forward wedding design that is just WOW!

These are the 2017 Runway trends we think will have a big impact on weddings and events in the years ahead: cerulean blue, magenta, velvet, exaggerated bows and modern metallic geometric patterns.

And here’s how we imagine them combining to make one stunning wedding! Be sure to check out all of the beautiful photos by Lisa Blume over on Ruffled!

Thank you to our fabulous vendor team:

Planning and Design: Elizabeth Duncan Events

Photography: Lisa Blume Photography

Florals, Design and Decor: Amaryllis

Hair and Makeup: Amie Decker Beauty

Gowns: Carine’s Bridal Atelier

Paper: Paperzest

Model: Flavia Dias, THE Artist Agency

Jewelry: Carine’s Bridal Atelier and Elizabeth Duncan Events

Tabletop rentals: DC Rental

Shoes: ALEXANDRE BIRMAN

Ring Boxes: MRS. Box

Off to the Races: Kentucky Derby Party

May 6, 2017 by Elizabeth

Spring has finally arrived, and if you live in Kentucky you know exactly what that means… It’s time for the Kentucky Derby!

One of the most famous horse races, the Derby is held annually on the first Saturday in May. It’s a time to dress up and gather with friends while celebrating Kentucky racing traditions. No Derby Day is complete without fancy attire, big hats, betting, and good ‘ole Kentucky bourbon!

Good News! You don’t have to make the trip to Churchill Downs to celebrate the Derby. It’s just as fun to host your own party with friends. We teamed up with Brittany Hardin at Eden Bliss Weddings to bring you some at-home Derby Party inspiration.
The Kentucky Derby is a long-standing tradition that dates back to 1875. So, if you’re going to host a successful Derby party, you must keep to tradition..but that isn’t to say you can’t add your own personal flare to it!

We switched out those red roses for some white and coral beauties and created a spin on the traditional Bourbon cocktails you might find in the Grandstand. We were inspired by bright colors, fun girl time, and big derby hats to create an at-home party that made us want The Derby to be a year-round event!

Creative Partners:

Design, Styling and Custom Paper: Elizabeth Duncan Events

Photography: Brittany Hardin with Eden Bliss Weddings

Dresses/Hats: AJS Casuals

Featured On: Washingtonian Bride&Groom

September 9, 2016 by Elizabeth

We have the best time designing our annual Runway to Table shoot! Pulling from one of the season’s hottest runway trends, we created a sophisticated and romantic wedding inspired by a Dutch Masters floral still life style.

Dark, moody black provides a surprising background for highlighting the bright, lush blooms and organic details. We are so pleased to see these beautiful photos featured on Washingtonian Bride & Groom this week.

Thank you to our fabulous team of creative collaborators!

Southern Roots

July 25, 2016 by Elizabeth

We are so excited to share with you the opening of EDE South!
EDE South is available to provide our signature approach to planning and design services for social and corporate events throughout the southeast region. Our primary focus is on expanding upon our key relationships and resources in these locations:

Lexington-Louisville area
Nashville
Charleston-Savannah area
New Orleans

Based in Lexington, Kentucky – home of bluegrass, bourbon and thoroughbreds, our new office is led by Jen Guiler. Jen has been an instrumental part of the success and growth of EDE since she joined in 2014 and we are so pleased to support her in this next chapter. Jen is returning to her Kentucky home and looks forward to sharing her love of the area with all of you!

We have been so fortunate to create numerous remarkable events throughout the Southern states over the years. We look forward to leveraging this expanded presence in the region to provide even more reach.

The opening of EDE South is the first of several new initiatives underway at Elizabeth Duncan Events. Our Washington, DC headquarters continues to grow and thrive with additional investment planned in 2016-2017 to further enhance our services and staff for luxury and ultra-luxury social events, expand our Corporate/Non-Profit event portfolio, and cultivate new avenues and opportunities for National and International destination events. It is because of the continued support of our incredible clients and vendor partners, along with our commitment to providing exceptional service and innovative design that we have been able to pursue our ever bigger dreams. Thank you!

Please help us spread the news and, definitely, keep us in mind the next time you have an event that would benefit from a little southern charm!

EDE South

Jen Guiler

Jen@elizdun-1ef4d9.ingress-bonde.easywp.com

482 Hollyhill Drive

Lexington, Kentucky 40503

(859) 285-2205

Photo credit: Kate Headley

2016 Trend Report: Fashion

April 6, 2016 by Elizabeth

It’s the time of year for our annual summary of the hottest trends in fashion, design and food that we believe will make it BIG in events in the coming year. Today, we take a look at the influential looks straight off the fashion runways.

We’ve collected lots of pins from the 2016 collections on our 2016 Season Runway Trends Pinterest Board, so be sure to jump over and check out all of the gorgeous looks we’re following.

Here are the runway fashion trends we predict will have a significant influence on upcoming event design. We recently brought one of these trends to life with a stunning styled shoot and can’t wait to share it with you soon!

Colors to Watch: Emerald, Lavender, Raspberry, and Midnight

EDE 2016 Runway Colors

Designs by: Giambattista Valli, Armani Prive, Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenburg

In the Nude: Bye, bye blush, nude is the new neutral!

ede 2016 runway trends nude

Designs by: Balmain, Valentino, Givenchy, Chanel

Dutch Masters Floral Still Life: Moody black with bright floral details

EDE 2016 runway Florals

Designs by: Elie Saab, Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana

All Aflutter: Ruffles, layered tiers, applique and feathery fringe details make for dramatic movement, texture and a romantic whimsy!

EDE 2016 runway details

Designs by: Alexander McQueen, Elie Saab, Chanel, Christian Siriano, Givenchy

Liquid Gold: Metallics are always on trend and the designers did not disappoint with their interesting use of metallics this year. We were especially drawn to some of the more innovative designs where the gold material was structured in new ways or completely transformed the dimension of the design.

ede 2016 runway gold

Designs by: Marchesa, Stephane Rolland, Rachel Zoe, Julien Macdonald, Viktor & Rolf

For photo credits, please visit our Pinterest board (vast majority via vogue.com).

Shine Bright

January 20, 2016 by Elizabeth

inage by Abby Jiu

We had so much fun celebrating our 5th Anniversary last night with our clients, colleagues, friends and family. What an incredible adventure it has been so far. Our business continues to flourish and evolve and we are so excited to see what the next five years will bring!

image by Abby Jiu

Thank you to our fabulous event partners:

Abby Jiu Photography

Amaryllis Event Design

Bialeks Music

The Dandelion Patch

DC Rental

Frost Lighting

Kendall’s Cakes

Longview Gallery

MJ Valet

Philippa Tarrant Floral Design

Sarah Bohl Designs

Well Dunn Catering

Featured On: Junebug Weddings

July 21, 2015 by Elizabeth

When we want to know what colors are going to be the new “IT” trends for wedding fashion and design, we look to the runways. Some of this year’s hottest runway trends tell us, that it’s going to be a bright and colorful year for event design. Learn how you can incorporate these trends by checking out some of the looks from our annual Runway to Table styled shoot that were just featured on Junebug Weddings.

TREND: Hello, Sunshine

Sunshine and happiness go hand in hand. That’s why we took a cue from Jenny Packham and let yellow be our inspiration for a tropical beach-inspired wedding. Palm leaves, pineapples, and plenty of bright yellow blooms are a perfect way to brighten your wedding day.

Runway inspiration: Jenny Packham

For more ideas on how to incorporate yellow into your next event, follow our Pinterest board.

Credits:

Styling: Elizabeth Duncan Events

Photography: Sweet Tea Photography

Floral Décor: Philippa Tarrant

Venue: Shakespeare Theatre Company Sidney Harman Hall

Printed Materials: The Dandelion Patch

Table linen: Wildflower

Cocktail linen and china: DC Rental

Chairs, Glassware and Flatware: Party Rental

Hair and Make-up: Alison Harper & Co.

Dress: Hitched Salon, Amy Kuschel

Model: Natalie Rutherford

DIY Pineapple Table Number and Palm Leaf Menu

TREND: Rainbow Bright

Pops of color add a punch here and there, but, this year, the runways were full of rainbow stripes. Blending this trend with bold geometrics and a little Kate Spade preppy chic, resulted in a fun and vibrant Bridal Shower design.

Runway inspiration: Balmain

For more ideas on how to incorporate rainbow colors into your next event, follow our Pinterest board.

Credits:

Styling: Elizabeth Duncan Events

Photography: Sweet Tea Photography

Floral Décor: Amaryllis

Venue: Shakespeare Theatre Company Sidney Harman Hall

Printed Materials: Winifred Paper

Linens, chairs and placesettings: DC Rental

DIY Ribbon Ties Chair Accent

DIY Paint Chip Table Number

TREND: Ice Blue – Art Deco Glamour

Incorporating one of the “Cool” colors of the season and another trend all over the runways, brilliant beading, we designed a wedding that encapsulates the glamour and decadence of the early 1920s.

Runway inspiration: Valentino

For more ideas on how to incorporate ice blue and Art Deco ideas into your next event, follow our Pinterest board.

Credits:

Styling: Elizabeth Duncan Events

Photography: Sweet Tea Photography

Floral Décor: Distinctive Floral Design

Venue: Shakespeare Theatre Company Sidney Harman Hall

Printed Materials: The Dandelion Patch

Linens and placesettings: DC Rental

Flatware: Party Rental

Chair cover and napkin ring: Wildflower

Hair and Make-up: Alison Harper & Co.

Wedding Gown: Hitched Salon, Amy Kuschel and Modern Trousseau

Model: Stephanie Farina

Featured On: United with Love

July 13, 2015 by Elizabeth

One had so much fun designing our annual Runway to Table styled shoot. This year, the stunning Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Sidney Harman Hall provided the ideal backdrop for seven event designs inspired by this season’s hottest runway trends. Our first look, Check the Box, was featured on United with Love this week. Be sure to check back each week for a new Runway to Table inspiration. For more ideas on incorporating this runway trend into your next event, check out our Pinterest board.

Runway Trend: Gingham, plaid, check patterns

Designer Inspiration: Derek Lam

Credits:

Styling: Elizabeth Duncan Events

Photography: Sweet Tea Photography

Floral Décor: Philippa Tarrant

Venue: Shakespeare Theatre Company Sidney Harman Hall

Printed Materials: Winifred Paper

Linens and Flatware: Party Rental

China, Glassware and Chairs: DC Rental

DIY Bread Sleeve Placecards

Featured On: Style Me Pretty

June 10, 2015 by Elizabeth

We are giddy with excitement to have this sweet wedding featured today on Style Me Pretty‘s front page. Daphne and Andrew were such a lovely couple to work with and their Southern Charm wedding couldn’t have been more fun!

Thank you to our amazing vendor team!

Introducing Petite Parties

May 1, 2015 by Elizabeth

STP Reese2b

Are you planning a birthday party (young or old), bridal shower, baby shower, or other life celebration and need a little guidance and creative inspiration to pull it all together with style? Then, we can help! Introducing:

Petite Party Planning

A phone consultation where we learn about your party needs and desired style
3 Developed Themes
Sourcing: 5 recommended sources for bringing your theme to life
3 DIY craft projects to make it personal
3 favor recommendation(s)
Suggestions for successful and theme-centric menu items

Custom Petite Party Package

May include, local vendor referrals, on-site staffing, sourcing and securing vendors (i.e. caterer, entertainment, etc

Photo credit: Sweet Tea Photography