Greetings from 10,000 feet! I am currently flying home for the holidays from the freezing cold of NYC (which currently is lacking the winter wonderland feeling and snow) to the chilly and rolling fog of the SF Bay Area! My poor cat Gracie is also making the trek and has been nothing but an angel this whole time.
Anywho, before I left the city, I was walking around with my man friend BTR, and I dragged him into a design institution near Union Square called NYC Carpet and Home. It is like a mecca of all things design. There are chandeliers and mirrors everywhere and no two things are exactly alike. It’s like design overload for the creative mind.
One of the displays, was a winter wonderland scape with blues, purples, and teals. There was white birch bark trees with hanging feathers and cotton bundles to make it look like falling snow along with strings of bedazzled hearts descending from the highest branch. 
I absolutely loved this display (minus the stuffed animals, I don’t know how that would go over as event decor) and it really inspired me to look at more winter wonderland “themed” inspiration for an event where maybe there wasn’t snow on the ground, just like in NYC or here in beautiful Northern California.
With a winter wonderland, there are so many DIY ideas and ways to save money. In winter, flowers aren’t in bloom, so using tree branches and candles would still create a lush yet simple setting to draw in the guests and still feel cozy. In the photo above, there are these really cute hearts with rhinestones on them. Sewing those and gluing on the jewels is a great DIY idea. Then hanging them from branches you either find our buy with fishing wire and trying groups of cotton or wool with some feathers give off the idea of snowfall.
I am a sucker for anything lace, so using lace is a great romantic and wintery idea. When choosing a lace pattern, go for more abstract patterns or a snowflake look as opposed to the more traditional eyelet or flower patterns. Bare wood is always a great idea. Using lighter woods like birch or white wood which comes from a spruce tree tend to match better than darker or redder woods. When picking floral, go for baby’s breath, pussy willows, and white roses. The elegance and tradition of the baby’s breath and the white roses with the offsetting and unusual pussy willow makes for a sophisticated combo. Don’t forget the twinkle lights to give your decor that extra glow!
Here’s a little inspiration board to get you in the winter wonderland mood!
I’m really digging the sleigh bells on the back of the wicker chair in the top left corner, what a novel idea just make sure the ball inside is out or it’s going to be one noisy party. The blue up lighting in the second from the second from the left on top lights the branches beautifully. The birch bark logs in the fireplace in the second from the right on top add a warm and cozy feel whether you have a fireplace or not at your event space is just an added bonus. Directly under is a simple center piece of roses and branches that have crystalized fake snow on them that would pair beautifully with a white lace tablecloth and blue underlay. To the upper right is the perfect gown for a winter wonderland wedding from the Oscar de la Renta 2012 Spring collection. The bottom left is a great idea for DIY decor backdrop by using cloth scraps, lace ribbon, beads, and streamers to accent the colors of a winter wonderland. An actual scene scape from a real winter wonderland would make for a great photo that all the guests could sign as a substitute for a guest book. To add the warmth and glow into what may be an icy decor, having candles inside the table numbers will do just the trick like the picture second from the right on the bottom. The bottom right is probably my favorite inspirational find because this table scape not only features grand chandeliers that accent the twilight outside, but there are fur throws on the back of every chair for the guests to keep warm and the candelabras along with the flatware and glassware all look like ice!
-Hilary
by hilarysmith
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