December 11, 2009
Emily Arementa’s jewelry is my new obsession. It is intricately designed using 22 karat gold and oxidized silver, which serve as a perfect counterpoint to the colorful gems she chooses. I saw her work at a jewelry show in Memphis and have been saving to buy one of her rings for Christmas ever since. The picture above is gorgeous, and it does not even do justice to these gems.You can find her work at Neiman Marcus and at Ylang 23.
Her jewelry has also served as inspiration for my events. It is delicate in its detail which adds an element of softness, but the oxidized silver gives it some toughness that I find to intriguing. I can just imagine a baroque affair with an excess of jewel tones and elements of sparkle.
November 23, 2009
I spend a lot of time discussing beautiful things on this blog, and this time, I thought I would include something that is beautiful in its mission (as opposed to its aesthetic!). Kiva is an organization that allows those who are more fortunate to loan money to entrepreneurs in developing countries. The loans can be as small as $25 and are paid back to the giver over time. Once the money is paid back, the donor can lend to another deserving recipient.
This is Moses, a tailor from Kenya, who need $675 to grow his business in order to support his wife and three children. His ultimate goal is to create a wholesale fabric business. (Perhaps his fabric will be used to create a “fantastic frock” one day!) As the holidays quickly approach, why not consider giving Kiva gift certificates to friends and family? I know from experience that $50 doesn’t go very far when buying typical holiday gifts. In contrast, you could fund almost 10% of Moses’s operation with that amount. Whether you choose to give to Kiva or to another organization, keep in mind how blessed we truly are and try to pass that blessing along to others.
November 2, 2009
Fall is upon us, and the chill in the air makes me want to curl up next to a fire with a glass of steaming hot chocolate. This got me thinking that the guests at your event would probably like to do the same thing! How about offering a hot chocolate bar where guests can choose from several different flavors. Ghirardelli offers several delicious looking options. For those who want a stronger spirit, you could have your bartender offer hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps and a candy cane swizzle stick.
I also love the idea above from the Inspired Bride Blog. Fill plastic vials with your favorite hot chocolate mixture and send home with guests as a favor. The Inspired Bride even offers free templates for the “Thank You” tags shown in the picture and recipes for many different flavors that you can create at home.
October 19, 2009
I am incredibly excited to share, for the first time, an inspiration board I created for a wedding coming up next Spring. The couple had already picked out pink and gray save-the-dates, as well as charcoal bridesmaid gowns, so we used both of these items as starting points.
For this wedding, I wanted to focus on dramatic statements, so we are covering the ceiling in the ballroom with parasols and having the florist create gorgeous trees to use as centerpieces. Signature cocktails and a couture candy station will add more color and more fun! We’re also adding some old world romance by using mercury glass votives and vases that will shimmer against the flickering candlelight. I can’t wait to see the final product, but it is sure to be breathtaking.
October 11, 2009
The hand crafted charm of needlepoint has certainly made a comeback. Once thought of as granny chic, needlepoint home and office accessories are now just chic. Jonathan Adler has created a brilliant line of pillows that sport graphic patterns and witty Adler-isms, and he is just one of many artists who embrace the juxtaposition between old world craftsmanship and modern styling.
AMH Design is another company offering a unique take on needlepoint. They have a collection of office supplies that can be stitched at home or by one of their on-site artists. If you are looking for a new project, the journals featured above are both fun and functional, and starting at $22, you could afford to buy one for a friend too!
September 29, 2009
The fashion mavens at Chloe and Reese have been designing beautiful dresses for just over a year now. I have been a fan ever since I tried on one of these wonders at Saks and decided to do a little digging to find out more about the company. What I found on their website brought a smile to this wedding planner’s face.
Chloe and Reese offers several different styles of dresses and you can choose your dress color based on over 30 color swatches. I immediately ordered one in a gorgeous emerald green that has been a huge hit on the Summer wedding circuit! The other obvious reason that I love this company so much is that these frocks would make perfect bridesmaid dresses. Every bride hopes that her bridesmaids will be able to “wear the dress again,” but in this case, I imagine a bridesmaid would proudly don the dress for years to come. As an added bonus, Chloe and Reese offers a discount to wedding planners, so let me know if you’re in need!
September 1, 2009
I cannot say enough good things about Michael Carpenter at Switch Creative. He helped design all of my collateral material, including my beautiful letterpress business cards. Not only was the final product so much more gorgeous than I envisioned, Michael made the process fun and easy. Someone once described him as “a very talented artist with a left brain mentality,” and I instantly knew that he was a kindred spirit. I love the design aspect of my work but also know that organization and efficiency are truly the mark of a good event planner (or graphic designer in his case).
A bonus to meeting Michael was finding out that his wife, Jacqueline, is in the early stages of starting a letterpress business here in Memphis! Although my business cards were printed before she had the press up and running, I cannot wait to use her for future projects. Handmade, custom invitations? What could be better than that!
August 12, 2009
I have to admit, I am not one for princess-like gowns. Poufy skirts and loads of beading actually send a chill down my spine. I tend toward the sleek and fitted, but this dress from Monique Lhuillier absolutely blew me away. You would certainly feel like a princess in it but an avant garde princess, who is not afraid of a little pouf (if the pouf means layers of hand draped chiffon roses). The price tag is a little high, but I would be willing to bet that there will be some fabulous knock offs produced for the coming season. If I was in the market for a wedding dress, I would certainly keep my eye out for one!
August 4, 2009
Check out this fabulous Lucite tray from Dabney Lee at Home. You can choose from over thirty background patterns and customize your monogram as well. This would make a perfect hostess or bridal party gift, and what’s better than being able to match each personality with a personal design?! I think I would choose the “London Calling” pattern, an homage to the late David Hicks, for it’s spot-on color combination and mod aesthetic.
Don’t worry if this tray is a bit out of your gift price range. Dabney Lee also offers customizable ice buckets, notepads, and playing cards starting at $30, or buy one for yourself so you can serve your guests in style at your next party!
July 10, 2009
I absolutely love the color inspiration at The Inspired Bride blog! This color palette falls right in line with what I’m thinking for fall’s upcoming events. Choose one color that you love and use various shades from light to dark.
If blue happens to be your color, the bridesmaids would look beautiful in a navy silk dress from Vera Wang, and you could lighten things up by using hydrangeas in classic milk glass vases. Make sure to have something blue on you as well! Louboutins with blue soles, perhaps? Or have your seamstress embroider your initials and wedding date in blue at the hem of your dress. The possibilities are endless no matter what color you choose!
