JOHN ORTON FLOWERS & EVENTS
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  • Photo Shoots

  • December27th

    Our Tabletop for Grace Ormonde Wedding Style NE 2012!

    Posted in: Inspiration, Photo Shoots

    What an image!

    And how absolutely crazy to be selected for a double-page lead-in to the “Grand Soirees” tabletop section!


    Gorgeous linen puddling just right on the lawn… A thousand roses in hot summer colors at their perfect peak… Even the finiky David Austin English garden roses hadn’t wilted. The brandy-new clear lucite pedestals seem to effortlessly support the massive (OMG they were so heavy) florals.

    Ha! It was at least 110 in the baking sun – AND 5 minutes earlier a rogue typhoon blew through – tossing napkins and glassware everywhere. The gorgeous Ben Verley (and her equally fine husband Anurag) from MBV Photography took the shot above, but I grabbed these few below from my camera. Excuse what must be a big smudge on the lens adding that delightful BLUR in the middle:

    In the finished shot for the magazine there were three of us UNDER the table holding the linen in place. I was flipping out that the enormous -and SOOO heavy – florals would definitely go over! We held them in place and ran back at the count of 3 to get the shot.

    Of course - right after the shot it was as breezeless as it had been all day  (oh bastid) - with the temp right back up there just in time to pack it all up!

     

    Flowers, White Louis Chairs, Lucite Pedestals: John Orton Events

    Photography: MBV Photography

    Couches, Pillows, Linens, Chaircovers: Nuage Designs Miami and NY Many thanks to owner Pablo and the NY staff for going through many last minute hoops to make this happen!

    Placesettings and Chiavari Chairs: Be Our Guest Party Rentals, Boston


     

  • February25th

    No, I think let’s put the table IN the pond…

    Posted in: Photo Shoots

    Never one to take the easy road, when Grace Ormonde asked me to design a table for the magazine, well….

    The location was set in gorgeous Little Compton, Rhode Island. I went to scope out all of the possible backdrops and it just wasn’t working for me, you know what I’m sayin???

    As I turned to leave, well…

    A pond through the trees. Hmmm. Pond….

    Perfect. IN the Pond!!! I had been thinking about making a mirrored table as a rental item. The reflection of sky and water could be pretty amazing. But how deep is the damn thing??? It was a stagnant pond – and definitely crusty round the green slimy edges, but measuring was a must. I called my Dad – borrowed his waders – and came back the following day with my pal Booboo.

    Ha! Waders that my dad must have worn in his teens barely fit over one leg – but in I went.

    We needed to make the table a tall one to work. No problem. Done.

    With tunnel vision I hit all of the usual suspects; Home Goods, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel. A very early morning at the Boston Flower Exchange was the last stop. I had been obsessing over Amnesia roses of late – and their smoky lavender color was my springboard for the rest of a pretty ethereal mix of gorgeosity!

    In we went. The table weighed a ton, but we were on a mission…

    Our Pond Ninja, Julian Malakorn, was superhuman at getting everything balanced on the pond floor – which was a lovely combo of rocks and green goo. A special pain were those Mirage Lucite Chairs that had a float-away mind of their own.

    Oh yeah – had to invest in waders that fit – plus one for Julian and the fabulous Ben Verley from MBV Photography. She was totally into it, and such a good sport when I called to warn her! Yep. IN the pond, Ben!

    The weather was great, if a little windy – but no rain Praise Jesus! We had attracted quite a crowd by the time we were set, and it was all such crazy fun. I fell on my ass in the slime at least twice – my waders totally filled with water and who knows what else by the end – but it was all so worth it. Here are the fruits of my cockamamie idea:

    Photography (‘cept my blurry phone pix): Ben Verley of MBV Photography for Grace Ormonde Wedding Style

    Flowers, Vessels, Mirrored Table: John Orton Events

    Mirage Chairs, Amethyst Water Glasses: Rentals Unlimited

    Couldn’t have done it without that cagey and resourceful Pond Ninja – Julian Malakorn and steadfast Maggie Longo. Many thanks to you both.

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