Island Wedding Inspiration from Flickr

Conrad Hotel Bali - Wedding Chappel

by yushimoto_02

Wedding Day, Turoa Beach, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
by halftheworldaway

Wedding Atmosphere - Santorini
by animadm

Save-the-Dates by Minted

I am loving all of the fantastic paper designs by Minted!
I especially love their uniquely designed save-the-dates using the couple's photograph.

Garden Feast Save the Date Card by Helena Seo Design

Modern Library Save the Date Card by Sweet Paper Studio

Bird Lover's Save the Date Card by The Happy Envelope

Minted also has a wonderful selection of letterpress invitations, announcements, eco-friendly options (yummy), and custom design services.

Elizabeth Anne Designs

Elizabeth Anne Designs has a great new library full of vendor lists and reviews!
"In the Library, you will find an exhaustive list of vendors, organized by category, to aid you in your event planning! We will be updating the Library links often, and each month, we will be featuring a vendor review from a recent bride."
An excellent resource for planning! Checkout the EAD Library here.

Green Letterpress

Bella Figura is an eco-friendly artisan letterpress shop with an unbelievably beautiful selection of letterpress invitations, announcements, and stationary.
They print using antique cast-iron presses on 100% cotton tree-free paper. The shop is wind-powered, carbon-neutral, and 1% of sales are donated to environmental causes. A remarkable company dedicated to excellent quality, design, craftsmanship and environmental responsibility.
I picked a few of my favorites below, although it was really difficult to only choose a few....

Plume Wedding Invitation by Amy Graham Stigler

Deveril Wedding Invitation, Bella Figura Original

Owl Baby Announcement by Amy Graham Stigler

Joe Latter Photographer

Today's photography spotlight is on Joe Latter, a fantastic photographer based out of Long Beach, California. His work is absolutely amazing and he is a dream to work with! I know this because I used him for my wedding.

As you can see, his photos speak for themselves....

Villa de la Vina, Agoura Hills, CA - June 2008

Villa de la Vina, Agoura Hills, CA - June 2008

Seven Degrees, Laguna Beach, CA - May 2008

www.joelatterphotographer.com

Escort Cards and Table Names

I recently completed escort cards and table names for a wedding that is being held this month at a So. Cal. winery. The couple chose to name the tables after various types of wine and their table was the Dom Perignon table. To create the elegant design on the paper, the bride used a sage card stock, cut to size, and used an ink stamp with embossing powder and gun.
Font: Vivaldi, Ink: Chocolate

The escort cards were done per group (individual, couple, or family) and included the table name.

Naming the tables after various wines was a fun way to stick with the theme of the venue.

Bridal Brooches

photo by luxe photographics

As a big fan of wearing brooches in everyday life, I love the idea of adding this element to a wedding dress. This trend is popping-up everywhere on the bridal scene. I love it even more if the brooch is a family heirloom (time to raid grandmother's jewelry box) and will count as something old (or borrowed).
Beautiful!

Southern Inspiration

Being a Southern Girl myself, or at least born in the South & raised in Southern California, these southern weddings really struck my fancy....

Norcross, Georgia
via Our Labor of Love

Georgia wedding via Our Labor of Love

Atlanta, Georgia
via W. Scott Chester

Baby Talk

Because I recently found out that one of my good friends is pregnant, I'm excited to shop for cute baby goodies! And, she's an eco-conscious mom, so that makes the shopping even more fun.

A few of my favorite sources for eco-friendly baby gifts...

Baby Earth offers a wide variety of unique baby gifts and products. However, despite the name, not all of the items on the site are eco-friendly. Stick to the eco-friendly section to find lots of great green goodies.

Q Collection Junior Organic Soft Blocks

Green Babies, Sage Moms by Penguin Group
An excellent source of information for raising a green family simply and inexpensively.

Under the Nile is one of my favorite sources for organic baby clothing, bedding, and toys. All of their products are made from 100% pure organic cotton and are so, so soft.
Long Sleeve Baby Body
I bought these for my newborn nephew recently because I loved the bold colors. A nice alternative to the usual pallet of pastels.


Fruit Tote
I also bought him this basket of adorable organic fruit because it was too cute to pass-up and matched his onesies.

Our Greenhouse is a great source for all things green. From baby, to household, to pet, they offer so many fantastic products and great gift ideas.
Organic Baby Bedding Set - Jingo
I love this beautiful embroidered bedding. So fun with all of the different animals and pretty details.

September Wedding

I recently completed 155 envelopes for a Southern California bride and groom who are tying the knot in September.

I used a custom font and black ink.

All packed-up and ready to go!

Baby Shower Place Cards

Just finished up a set of place cards for a baby shower in NYC. I used Park Avenue as the font because the invitation was very modern and chic, and I thought this font was a nice compliment.
The place cards themselves are from Paper Source in Bluebell.

Baby Shower....Ducky Brunch

I recently discovered the most fantastic site for party planning ideas via Belle Maison blog! It's called Hostess with the Mostess & it offers tons of great ideas & inspiration for showers, parties, and big soirees. This Bubbly Ducky Brunch theme for a baby shower caught my eye because it's cute without being cutesy and still maintains a modern sophistication. Who says you have to use paper storks and balloons?

I love these colors together & the place setting is perfect for the feel of the shower. The best part is that there is bubbly in that champagne glass! Who's to say the guests can't drink just because mama can't?!

Mini Blueberry Turnovers! Seriously, my mouth is watering.

Brilliant Trend.....Colored Shoes

photo by Whitebox Weddings

The colored shoe trend for weddings is everywhere & I REALLY wish I had thought of this for my wedding four years ago! I adore the idea of a bride wearing a fabulous pair of colored shoes to add a stylish and fun touch to traditional wedding attire.

photo by Offbeat Bride

photo by Anna Page

photo by Anna Page

Custom Font....Megan

I recently worked with a bride to create a customized font for her wedding invitation envelopes. We used letters from two different fonts (Hallmark Script and Manuscript) and came up with a font that I will call Megan, after the bride. I'm really pleased with how it looks & especially love the Capital M.

Sex & the City Style

Who better to take style tips from than the fabulous Carrie Bradshaw from the Sex and the City movie? Although her Vivienne Westwood gown stirred up quite a controversy, I loved it because it was bold, beautiful, and in true fashionista style. How can you not look fabulous with a teal bird on your head?
However, her 'real' wedding dress that she had originally chosen & ended up marrying Big in at the end (sorry for the spoiler if you haven't seen it yet) was my absolute favorite. Unfortunately, I can't find a photo of it anywhere. But, it was a tailored vintage piece in cream with clean lines & polished sophistication. I love, love, love the idea of finding a beautiful vintage dress for a wedding, pairing it with fabulous jewelry, and splurging on a pair of stunning designer heels to complete the look. Classically chic!

The idea of different colored dresses for the bridal party was genius & one I'm sure we will see more of now that the movie has set the trend. The various jewel tones looked beautiful together & I loved the incorporation of black into the mix. The gorgeous dresses that Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha wore give hope to discouraged bridesmaids everywhere. Unlike the many bridesmaids dresses we've had hanging in our closets for years because we're determined to wear again after spending $200+ on a poorly made frock in a color we hate. If only our cousin, friends, and sister-in-law had been this fashionable....

Side note.....From my St. John post below, I received a nice comment from a reader who happens to also work at St. John. Talk about a fabulous job! Anyway, I wanted to say thanks to Kristina & I hope you received my e-mail.

St. John Sophistication

St. John Knits is the definition of classic sophistication.
Even as a little girl, I was very aware of the coveted and treasured St. John suit that hung in my step mother's closet, only worn on the day she married my father in the early 1980s. I have admired the label ever since for its chic refinement, polish, and exquisite craftsmanship. The beautiful fabrics and knits create crisp silhouettes that lend themselves to wearable elegance and comfort.

Saying your vows in a St. John is a classically chic choice that I very much love.
Below are a few options that would look wonderful on a summer bride.

Knit Dress

Eyelet Wrap & Knit Dress

Adorned with Letters

I adore this Word Jumble Necklace from Anthropologie!
It's the perfect way to pay homage to typography & letters while looking fabulous in a unique statement piece.
There's also a bracelet to go with!

My kitty, Missy Foo, loves it too.

Chocolate Vivaldi

I recently completed 100 envelopes for an O.C. bride and groom who are getting married in July. They chose the Vivaldi font and chocolate ink to match the print on the invitation and return address. I just love this font! It has a nice modern feel, but still maintains a formal look.
Tres elegant!