Sunset Soirée

As a style blogger, I look at pretty things practically all day long. Beautiful clothes. Gorgeous interiors. (Hey, even perfectly edited Instagram pictures on Twitter.) But every once in a while I stumble upon something so pretty that it stops me in my tracks and makes it hard to look away. Case in point: the cover shoot from Rue’s fifth issue, styled by Mindy Weiss and photographed by Elizabeth Messina.
The color palette is irresistible: pale blues, pretty pinks, and lush greens with splashes of bright white and sunny yellow. The flowers are insanely gorgeous and the atmosphere screams Palm Beach sunset soirée. In other words, to whom do I RSVP yes?
The invitations and menus hit the nail on the head, playing off the colors in the tablescape and introducing a happy orange hue in delightful geometric patterns that complement the console table that housed the dessert offerings.
I can only imagine how much fun the models were having at the shoot, dressed in darling ruffles and scallops. Why simply pose when you could instead blow bubbles?
Of course the delightful details don’t stop there. A layered place setting — complete with flower bud and rock candy — brings in patterned polish while Mindy’s adorable bicycle adds a delectable dash of whimsy.
Vintage swimwear was a brilliant choice for the imaginary occasion. I mean, did you ever covet a flowered swim cap before this moment?
I scream for ice cream! I’ll bet that cheery raspberry-hued flavor tastes just as good as it looks.
I’ve returned to these pictures countless times since the issue came out and I’m happy to know that they can now be found on Rue’s new Pinterest boards (which will take the place of the infuriatingly slow online gallery). I’ll be repinning them for the next time I need an instant dose of take-my-breath-away prettiness. How about you?