Inspiration Board: Hip-Hop Wedding

I went through pictures that I had taken during a stroll down Haight Street in San Francisco and I realized that a true Hip-Hop wedding theme must be executed.  I have yet to find a client who loves hip-hop culture enough to surround their entire theme around it.  If I could do it all over again- this is what I’d do.  Pay homage to the Four Corners of Hip-Hop.

{Image found here.}

It would be ideal for the ceremony and reception to take place in a metropolitan setting.  Set the tone right off the bat at an outdoor tented ceremony by flanking your entry with beautifully graf-ed murals.  Up and spotlights help to highlight the art and set an exciting tone for your guests as they anticipate what’s to come.   As for flower arrangements and bouquets- there are two ways you can go- either extremely over the top with color since most graffiti murals are made up of a multitude of colors OR chic and simple against the plethora of color.  Personally, I would choose to go with 1, no more than 2 colors for flowers

{Left to Right, Top to bottom- 1. Graffiti clutch found here 2. These statement-making graffiti heels by Christian Louboutin found here 3. Bond No. 9- New York “Brooklyn” -found here 4. B-boys & bride image from Studio This Is 5. Technics turntable cake by Debbie Does Cakes 6. Shelltop Adidas cake by Bake Me a Cake 7. Graffiti artist image found here 8. Fatcaps collectables found here}

After you’ve gifted your bridesmaids with their swag bags, that include this great bottle of Bond No. 9- “Brooklyn (See #3), ” it’s time to accent your bridal ensemble with some fun accessories like a graf-ed out clutch (See #1) and these bangin’ graf heels (See #2) by the ever-so-wonderful Christian Louboutin.  If you want to go with something a little less over-the-top for your ceremony- go ahead- and save these graf-ed accessories for the reception.  And where would your reception be- you ask?  Somewhere like here…

{Image of the 36th floor of the Mandarin Oriental in New York found here}

Let me walk you through the reception.

As you enter the doors, you pick up your escort cards that are made out of nostalgic “mix-tapes.”  You head to the bar for a cocktail as you ooh and aah over the performance graffiti artist who is painting an amazing mural, which will be complete by the end of the event (See #7 above).  Some of the windows and the glass top tables in the lounge area are decorated with graffiti inwindow marker (Easily removed with water or window cleaning solution).  The party atmosphere is heavy during cocktail hour as a real turntablist and MC entertains you with scratched mixes and melodic rhymes.

{Left to Right, Top to Bottom:  9.  CD Chandelier 1 found here 10. CD Chandelier 2 found here 11. Photo taken by me in Nordstrom’s at San Francisco Center 12.  Records used as chargers, which I made for my engagement party- photo taken by me}

You’re led into the dining area to find your seat and the room greets you with CD chandeliers (See #9 & #10) that catch the ambient lighting and reflect the most beautiful colors back onto the walls.  The flowers are simple and chic with tall glass vases that hold all white arrangements of tulips (See #11).  You find the round glass dining tables perfectly mimics the 12 inch records that have been used as chargers (See #12) for the evening.  Each place setting has a Fatcap blind box wedding favor.  You can’t wait- as you tear into the box to see which one you got (See #8).  It’s Cycle, you quickly stick it in your pocket and hope other guests will leave their favors behind tonight.  You’re amazed by the quality of work on the turntable and shelltop Adidas wedding cakes.  This is definitely not your average wedding reception!

The couple is introduced and instead of a traditional bride and groom’s first dance- the room is charged with the guests roaring as the newly married couple show their breakdancing skills (See #4).  The evening moves on with breakdancing performances from various b-boy and b-girl groups.

You are enthralled… it is an evening you’ll never forget.