As one of Martha Stewart’s go-to wedding experts, event planner and designer Matthew Robbins, who splits his design time between New York and Los Angeles, knows a thing or two about making a celebration unique. His newly released book, Matthew Robbins’ Inspired Weddings: Designing Your Big Day with Favorite Objects and Family Treasures ($35 at local bookstores), is filled with ideas to help you think outside the flower box. His first step is to find an object that has meaning to the couple, from items as simple as an orange or a piece of hard candy to the more unique, like an antique cigarette tin or schoolhouse map. Gorgeous photos detail how Robbins brings the concept to life, from the invitations and bouquets to the place settings, centerpieces and favors. His ideas range from entirely object-based centerpieces filled with flea-market-sourced items, such as vintage bowling pins, wooden birds and old books, to those bursting with color; think of peonies and tulips tucked into a Marie Antoinette‒inspired jar. So if you can’t have Matthew Robbins himself design your wedding, snag a few of his ideas and put them to work!
