Here’s what you need to know about planning the wedding design of your dreams according to Brian Kappra of Evantine Design.

From ballroom weddings to Ball on the Square, Brian Kappra’s event production and design firm Evantine Design, which just relocated to a chic new Center City storefront, has worked its magic all over town for decades. Here, Kappra shares a few priceless planning ideas.

Smaller bouquets are still popular among brides, but roses have been replaced by bolder blooms like gardenias, peonies, and orchids. And don’t be afraid to mix up the color palette, advises Kappra. “The bride may carry totally different florals than the bridesmaids or chose a colorful mixed bouquet while her bridesmaids stay neutral,” he says.

One of Kappra’s top planning tips is to gauge “party light.” Those dusky lighting schemes that perfectly set the mood for receptions can also majorly alter certain colors. “One bride chose gorgeous lavender seating cushions that looked brown,” he says. Kappra tests out hues with mock “party lights” at Evantine Design’s Southwest Philly design studio.

Kappra has amassed a sample of nearly every chair that every Philly venue stocks so couples can assess on the spot—and 99 percent of brides will opt to bring in their own, he says. Kappra suggests mixing it up, like “two styles of Lucite chairs for dinner or different chairs for the wedding and the reception.”

As seen on Philadelphia Style Magazine.