Luxe Valentine’s Dinner
Shot Through The Heart…. Valentine’s Dinner
THE DESIGN
With this ultra saucy and sexy inspirational design we wanted to create the ultimate Valentine’s dinner for two with dark design undertones of slithering serpents and spellbinding epicreations to nibble and sip on as you gaze across an arrow shot heart at your eternal Valentine. I started by setting the table with luxurious pieces by L’Objet including reptile printed elements such as their embossed Alencon collection, serpent twisting black trays and bewitching snake napkin jewels around snakeskin printed italian linen napkins. I want to show my clients how you can create an ultra romantic, luxurious and intimate Valentine’s Day dinner at home with a few key pieces.
THE Flowers
For this luxury Valentine’s dinner Isari Flower Studio created a texturally rich heart shaped arrangement with lush blooms in deep reds and raspberries for the perfect centerpiece to pour your heart over… The heart shape was studded with large bloom amaryllis, miniature blooms garden roses, ranunculus, 2 shades of ruffled french carnations, deep shade parrot tulips, astrantias, burgundy anemones and hellebores, with clematis and it;s foliages and flowering Japanese magnolia. 
THE COCKTAILS
Snakeoil Cocktail Company created three bewitching cocktails to help lure your sweetheart under your spell for your romantic Valentine’s dinner.. For an extra dose of drama molecular mixologist Mike Yen also created a ‘Beeting Heart’ which includes a cocktail encapsulated into a human heart shaped gelatin shell..not for the ‘faint of heart’… “Sipping on a beautifully crafted concoction will set the mood in any love den, especially one as lovingly crafted as these sultry cocktails” says Michael Esposito of Snakeoil Cocktails. Read below for the recipes for three of these spellbinding cocktails!
Old School Crush Cocktail
(served in an old school sour in coupe glass)
2 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon
0.5 Oloroso Sherry
5 Muddled Black Cherries
1.5 oz Fresh Pressed Lemon Juice
1.5 oz Fig Infused Honey Syrup
1 Cage-free Egg White
Garnished with a black cherry heart
Tops and Bottoms Cocktail
(layered in a double old fashioned glass)
1.5 oz Espolon Silver Tequila
1.5 oz Fresh Pressed Lime
1.5 oz Black Lime Syrup
1 oz Mulled Wine Float
Garnished with Splayed Vanilla Bean and Star Anise
SEEDS OF LOVE
(layered in a goblet)
1.5 oz Titos Vodka
2 oz Basil-Pomegranate Juice*
0.5 oz Fresh Pressed Lime Juice
3 oz Ginge Beer
Garnished with pomegranate arils and bloomed basil seeds
THE FOOD
Brilliant Chef Andrew Spurgin created an intoxicating Valentine’s dinner menu of salt crusted abalone and octopus with a lapsang souchang tea consommé, Gravlax and iberico ham with a squid ink sour cream and hazelnuts. An artists rendition of crudite was presented 2 ways atop a gold starburst and standing to attention… making vegetables once again very sexy… “Food is and can be very sexy, from the textures, the aromas and aphrodisiac effect” says Spurgin, “even the slightest gesture of feeding your love a sumptuous oyster can be an incredible turn on”.
CREDITS:
Design & Styling Vanessa Van Wieren of Alchemy Fine Events
Chef Andrew Spurgin
Photos by Luna Photo
Flowers by Isari Flower Studio
China by L’Objet
Napkins by Huddleson Linens
WANT TO SHOP THE LOOK?
Read More »Scavenger Hunt for Love Valentine’s Day Engagement
The ultimate Valentine’s Day Engagement Design
With the day of love approaching fast we wanted to share a Valentine’s Day engagement shoot we designed with some gorgeous friends of ours that are on their way to say “I do!”
We present the ultimate luxury Valentine’s Day inspiration with a collaboration of design, stationery and styling by us, Alchemy Fine Events, Chuao Chocolatiers and Isari Flower Studio. Follow a bride-to-be on her scavenger hunt for love from clue to clue discovering sweet notes, a fab outfit, chocolates and even a piñata to bust open to discover the final clue leading her to a stunning cliffside proposal and a 5 carat bauble hiding in a rose. Chock full of lush flowers, chocolates and champagne, we deliver a gorgeous modern glam setting capture by Luna Photo sure to leave you dreaming about the day-of-love to come. Whether it be for a super special Valentine’s Day engagement celebration, or even for a Valentine’s Day wedding, this colorful palette is sure to inspire!
Read our poem below to follow our bride to be Cachel from clue to clue that eventually led her to this stunning cliff-side proposal site below.
The day started off with our stunning bride-to-be finding a colorful new dress with a tag that read “Wear Me.”
Clue #1 was framed nearby, that she read as she sipped bubbles and held onto her darling pooch Little Guy.
“You’ll find me in in the fragrant leaves.. Where Little Guy often pees” read clue #1, she smiled as she knew this day was going to be fun!
After finding Clue #2 amongst the ‘fragrant leaves’, she discovered it was exactly what she was told.. It WAS where Little Guy often pees!
With a quick change, and a coif and a spritz and a spray, Cachel was off and on her Scavenger Hunting way!
“You’ll find me in the grass.. under our favorite shady patch” read the clue, so with the snap of a leash, off to park they jetted to!
At the seaside park she discovered a pinata overflowing with flowers that read “Bash me to See…” and on a side table the note continued “… The Reasons Why I Love You and Clue #3!”
She swung and she swung with all of her might, to see what her future held, fight or flight!
When bashed open, inside the pinata she found the reasons why “he loved her”, some fragrant blooms, and a bunch of scrumptious chocolates, which she immediately consumed.
Amidst the notes she read that landed on the ground, “Meet me at our favorite place to watch the sunset” and clue #3 was found.
They skipped off to the bluff in Del Mar overlooking the sea, where she found her love, her man, and her fiance to be.
In the distance she spotted him holding an over sized heart reading “Be Mine?” Her heart set a flutter, she ran, almost leaving Little Guy behind!
Behind him stood a gorgeous table set for two that boasted beautiful flowers, heart shaped chocolates, and then after spotting the beautiful bauble we heard a loud “I DOOOOOOOO!!!!”
Valentine’s Specials!!
***Chuao Chocolatier Special!*** Receive 20% off your purchase at www.ChuaoChocolatier.comUse code SAVETHEDATE at checkout
Valid 2/3- 5/31/14 only on www.ChuaoChocolatier.com. Not valid on shipping charges, alcohol or gift baskets.Not valid with any other promotion, discount or offer. No rain checks or cash value. ***Alchemy Save the Date Special!*** Alchemy Fine Events & Invitations is offering a 15% off discount to brides that place their their save the date orders between Valentine’s day until to Feb 28th when they mention this feature. *discount offered on orders above $500.
Design, Styling & Stationery by Alchemy Fine Events & Invitations
Photography by Luna Photo
Flowers by Isari Flower Studio
Makeup and Hair by Beauty by Stacey
Chairs and tables by Hire Elegance
Chocolates by Chuao Chocolatier
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