image of the week: wedding silhouette by stephanie moore

when you run a blog, you often find that it's a great tool merely for sharing the beauty you discover in your personal travels. this photo, taken by stephanie moore of stephanie moore photography, absolutely falls into the must-share category.

it's striking, hauntingly personal, and just utterly beautiful. stephanie might be a fabulous choice if you're having a north carolina wedding, don't you think?

romantic bouquets

i am clearly in love with contemporary design — fresh ideas, clean lines, bold colors. that said, there is something about a classic, perfectly romantic bouquet of flowers that just melts me.

not your average, everyday, ordinary bunch of pink roses, mind you. i'm talking about vintage artistry with an updated twist. simply put, when romantic meets modern, it is absolute magic.

like this lush, gorgeous bridal bouquet by castle & pierpont, courtesy of instyle weddings, which mixes peachy roses with milky white peonies and ranunculus (my favorite wedding flower of all). it's just dreamy.

or this delicately ornate rose bouquet by karen tran, with its sleepy lilacs, soft greens, and just enough shimmer to keep it from being too pale. this is what it means to put a modern spin on a true classic.

just two of my favorite finds for this week.  :o)

paper olive featured in weddings in houston magazine

we are proud to announce that paper olive has been featured in weddings in houston, an award-winning wedding magazine focused on beautiful, elegant and upscale weddings based out of the greater houston area.

our beachcomber couture wedding invitation is currently highlighted in their january 2010 issue, which is the houston bride's guide to what's hot, new and exciting in weddings as well as top houston resources. we love their idea-packed website, which is jammed with beautiful imagery.

please join us in our delight, as we adore weddings in houston!

a very merry christmas wedding

in celebration of this gorgeous, wondrous holiday season, i thought i would share this equally gorgeous photography of alicia and anthony's real christmas wedding. simply stunning.

diy calligraphy by bride. gown by ian stuart. venue, st. lucy's catholic church in newark, new jersey. real wedding courtesy of the knot, photography by sameer kahn of fotobuddy.

merry christmas to one and all!

an eco-chic honeymoon • gaia hotel & reserve • costa rica

my love of this industry has so much to do with my own glorious wedding experience, and my unforgettable honeymoon had a lot to do with it.

we chose costa rica as our exotic destination, both for the beauty of the country, the exceptional food, and the gaia hotel & reserve — an eco-friendly resort that boasts gorgeous ocean views and its own rainforest.

the suites are lush, modern, and equipped with every possible amenity. the spa is a luxurious sanctuary into which you could literally lose yourself. and the on-site restaurant, la luna, features fresh, fabulous local and international cuisine. we never wanted to leave.

but our favorite part of the whole gaia experience was the level of effort and detail that went into building a luxury resort around and within the existing eco-system, actually featuring the surrounding rainforest and its creatures as a highlight of the escape. it's sustainable, green and brilliant.

our best day was throwing on shorts and boots and hiking down to the waterfall at the base of the nature reserve — then showering in the luxe oversized bathroom, grabbing a massage at the spa, and feasting on fresh ceviche and a margarita at the in-pool bar, while watching the sun set over the pacific.

these photos, courtesy of small luxury hotels of the world, offer just a glimpse of the majestic, natural beauty of costa rica, and gaia itself. can you imagine anything better?

all about orange

i'm crazy about the color orange, especially for big events.  it was the focal point of my wedding, and recently the same hue has been popping up with several new brides, which makes me positively giddy.

since vibrant color is a paper olive signature, i thought it would be fun to offer three unique examples of how bold color can absolutely transform an event from common to couture.

classic roses

in the first photo, courtesy of wedding style magazine, orange roses and white lacquered manzanita branches are set on an all white feasting table at the johnathan beach club.  orange is truly the star here, expertly arranged by r. jack balthazar.  wedding by kelly michelle, linens by bbj linen, chair covers by covered affairs, table setting by unique tabletop rentals.

california chic

orange gets an edgy, even more modern twist in this fruit-centric design by modaflora, which comes courtesy of brides.com.

using the actual fruit is not only organic and elegant, but unexpected here, and the juxtaposition of the round fruit and square plates is a wonderful mix.

the best part?  citrus greens and delicate branches give the bountiful fruit an artistic aesthetic that is light, windswept, and truly uncommon.  it's pure sophistication.

tropical breeze

of the three photos, possibly my favorite concept is this one designed by yvonne chapman, shot at the loulu palm estate by chrissy lambert, courtesy of pacific weddings.  the fresh, cheerful hues of orange and peach are simply magical here.  it's a celebration of color, delicate and bold at once.  i am in love with it.

which one is your favorite? let us know!

bridal splurge — giuseppe zanotti heels

okay, girls.  if you know me by now, you know i love shoes.  and among italian shoe designers, giuseppe zanotti is one of my faves.  i was just browsing the latest collection of zanotti bridal shoes at myglassslipper.com and came across these beauties.

i mean, these shoes are hot.  at $598 they're also a genuine splurge, but after the wedding you could easily dye them purple, red or black and have an incredible pair of couture shoes to wear with jeans or a little black dress that will never go out of style.  love it!

the knot, beyoncé, and the ultimate bachelorette bash

we love las vegas, we love the knot, and we love beyoncé...so naturally, we love this.

the knot.com and beyoncé are offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for one lucky bride and her bridesmaids in the knot and beyoncé bachelorette bash: single ladies in sin city sweepstakes. this unique sweeps offers a bride and her party the chance to win the ultimate girls getaway in las vegas.

to kick off the party, the lucky ladies will have the exclusive opportunity to learn the signature moves for the hottest dance, "single ladies (put a ring on it)" in a private dance lesson with beyoncé's legendary choreographer frank gatson, jr. — who choreographed the popular video, and who will be joined by one of beyoncé's own back-up dancers.

also included in this one-of-a-kind prize package:

· round trip tickets courtesy of jetblue

· 2-night/3-day stay at the celebrity favorite wynn las vegas

· dinner at the famous botero restaurant

· spa treatments at the salon at wynn or encore

· 4 vip indulgence tickets to see le reve, including champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries

· complimentary entry into any of the nightclubs at wynn las vegas

· the ultimate beyoncé prize package filled with a selection of her cd's and dvd's

brides and bridesmaids can sign up here to win now through december 31.  good luck, ladies!