Summers in the Hamptons are truly special, filled with fabulous events, sunny days at the beach, and great local food paired with equally great local wine. To celebrate the start of the season, we teamed up with longtime client Lilee Fell of Lilee Fell Flowers at the historic Gansett Green Manor to create two designs for our Clients that Inspire design series.
Bridgehampton-based Lilee Fell has been creating magnificent floral designs for over 20 years. Lilee is a fourth-generation horticulturalist and floral decorator with a background in the Arts who brings her eye for all-things-flowers and passion for production to weddings, events, gardens, and beyond.
Our venue, Gansett Green Manor, started as a dairy farm with some buildings dating back over 300 years! The property was converted into lodging in the 1950s and renovated starting in the 1990s, each accommodation getting its own unique charm. Gansett Green Manor has been hosting weddings for 25 years for couples looking for a weekend of bonding and celebrating with their family and friends.
The two designs were created with that type of wedding weekend in mind — the first look designed around our Country Table and purple hues intended for the wedding itself and the second look featuring our new Zadie Print linen intended for the brunch to follow. We chatted with Lilee about the designs, the inspiration behind them, and what’s hot in the Hamptons this year. Check it out!
Could you describe the two looks you designed and the inspiration behind them?
The first look was inspired by a couple who wants a fusion of both country and modern — for a groom who grew up on a farm and the bride who likes a more modern look. The table is as much of a marriage as the wedding itself, and the end result is a look that’s edgy-yet-traditional. Purple has been a hot color this year — Color of the Year, in fact — and this design really takes the hue and runs with it.
The flowers I chose for this design were very quintessentially-Hamptons and locally grown. The Lily of the Valley are grown in the area and both the daffodils and mock oranges are from my garden! The locally-sourced Columbine flowers and ferns on each place setting were chosen to mimic the flowers on the Maeve charger.
I choose the Trumpet Flutes for this look for their vintage, “throwback” feel and for a different take on the Champagne toast. It’s an unexpected alternative to the classic flute silhouette.
For the second look, I liked the custom, Parisian feel of the Zadie print linen. Each piece complements each other for a unique and cohesive design. I liked the Black Vanderbilt with the Zadie especially, as it’s bold and really stands out against the print.
Are there any colors, styles, patterns, or textures that you or your clients have been gravitating toward lately?
The linen-less table trend is still going strong, which was some of the inspiration behind using the Country Table for the first design. I’ve been gravitating toward both colored glass decor and mercury glass, which is always a classic, and works for both modern and country styles.
Greenery, like ferns, variegated Hosta leaves, mint, and other foliage, have become popular alternatives to traditional floral. Texture has become the focal point of many of our clients’ visions.
We’re also finding that people are choosing flowers based on memories and special moments in their lives. They’ll ask for a particular bloom that reminds them of their last vacation or because it reminds them of their grandmother. Their floral choices are very much part of how they tell their unique stories.
Do you have a favorite Party Rental Ltd. product or linen?
I love the Venice Highball glasses, but there’s so many things in your collection to mix and match, it’s hard to choose only one! I’ve been working with the Stone Wall Citron, paired with the Amethyst Rattan for an upcoming event and the colors and textures of the two pair beautifully together.
What do you like about working with us?
Laura, Linda, Jim, and the Party Rental team!
What is your design philosophy?
I like my flowers to reflect my client, the event, and the surroundings. A mentor of mine once said, “All of the chapters of an event should come together to tell one story.”
A big “Thank You!” to Lilee and her team and the amazing team at Gansett Green Manor for helping to bring this incredible shoot to life!
Get this look! Party Rental Ltd. products featured in the Wedding look:
Country Dining Table 8’x42”, Laura Eggplant Damask (Coming Soon!), Market Bistro Chair Pewter, Maeve Blue and White Charger 12”, Glacier Lunch Plate 9.5”, Sedona Wood flatware, Sapphire Sussex Goblet 12oz, Roma Amethyst Goblet 8oz, Champagne Flute Trumpet, Orchid Shantung Dinner Napkins
Get this look! Party Rental Ltd. products featured in the Brunch look:
Table: Zadie Floral Print, Reception Chair White with White Bengaline Cushions, Teal Bengaline Chair Pillows 10”x16”, Crystal Weave Glass Charger 13”, Whisper Bloom Plate 11.5”, Whisper Bloom Cocktail Plate 8.75”, Vanderbilt Black flatware, Eleanor Etched Red Wine Glass 12oz, Eleanor Etched Flute 6oz, Venice Highball Clear Glassware 11oz, Teal Bengaline Dinner Napkins, Napkin Ring Square Lucite // Bar Cart: Zachary Bar Cart, Eleanor Etched Red Wine Glass 12oz, Champagne Bucket Silver, Village Carafe 17oz (with floral), Whisper Bloom Plate 11.5”, Whisper Bloom Cocktail Plate 8.75”