paper olive + superfine bakery = coordinated custom cakes

design inspiration can come from anywhere, but possibly our favorite source of inspiration has come from our partnership with superfine bakery — who have recently outdone themselves with their cake interpretation of our popular viceroy invitation design.

the cake

bright white, crisp lime green and sleek black are the perfect palette for this cake trio, with each individual tier focused on a different facet of our viceroy design — a chic combo of contemporary shapes and playful classic flourishes.

the inspiration

a luxe combination of linen papers, chic colors and clean modern lines. the multiple square layers were a big inspiration for the trio of cake layers above, and the various textures provided many opportunities for whimsical embellishments.

the best part? coordinating your invitation to your cake does two things: it sets a creative tone with the opening of the invite and carries that tone through to the last moment of the event — the all-important cake cutting.

look out for more details on our partnership with superfine bakery, and many more fabulous design pairings.

i heart design star

already prone to obsessions, i was a sucker for this past season of hgtv's design star, and was absolutely in love with this year's winner, emily henderson.

emily's mix of clean, modern lines and eclectic, slightly vintage, almost boho chic is something i was immediately drawn to, and her new show, ostensibly titled style to lifestyle, sounds like a brilliant concept (and another impending obsession).

these are just a few of my favorite shots from emily's portfolio. they give me both interior design inspiration as well as stationery design ideas. aren't they fabulous?

jacqueline belle fleur photography

is it possible to make a beautiful child even more beautiful just by capturing her in the best light, the perfect moment, and a few precious accessories? in a word, yes.

jacqueline belle fleur photography recently captured these magnificent photos of my niece taylor, and when i saw them, i burst into tears. sure, i'm susceptible to waterworks because my niece is my favorite little lovebug, but still, the whimsy with which these images were shot makes jacqueline my new favorite photographer.

the pink tutu. the floral props. those pearls. jacqueline knows how to photograph children with playful beauty, and seems to coax a joy from them that is remarkable.

what a talent. if you live in the new york metropolitan area and you have a child you'd like to capture as the perfect cherub he/she is, hire jacqueline immediately.

highlights from a day of the dead wedding with david tutera

i love my job. especially tonight, after watching a playful episode of my fair wedding with david tutera, during which david transformed a charming couple's "day of the dead" inspiration into a romantic, luxe, larger-than-life gothic explosion of red roses and black lace.

i was honored to be invited to participate in this magical event, and watching david work was a spectacle in itself. but it was an email from the bride herself that truly made me grateful to be able to do what i do.

katie wiggins is a gracious, thoughtful, delightful person — her thank you email was full of compliments, and it sent me over the moon {katie, you two deserved it!}. these are just a few of the exceptional photos she was kind enough to share with me, all expertly taken by harvard photography.

from the mexican/vintage black and red rose bridesmaid dresses, to the soaring black trees dripping with crystals and amaranth from tic-tock couture florals, to the dramatic table linens, this wedding was an exercise in truly personal spectacle. non-traditional doesn't mean non-fabulous — just the opposite.

and just our style. :o)

true romance in the carolina herrera spring 2011 collection

while my aesthetic is usually clean and modern, i am absolutely mad about elaborate wedding ball gowns with showstopping design elements. one of my favorites of the spring 2011 collections has to be this gown from carolina herrera, with its delicate bodice and cascading full skirt.

it's romantic, lush, feminine — but also youthful and fresh at the same time. herrera is a favorite because she is such a master with fabrics and the feminine form. ah, i'm in love again.

photo by firstVIEW.

paper olive featured on my fair wedding with david tutera

are you a fan of david tutera and my fair wedding on we tv? we certainly are. so we were thrilled when david's team invited us to create one-of-a-kind wedding stationery for katie, his day of the dead-themed bride. the episode airs sunday 8/15 at 10pm pacific / 9pm central on we tv.

as the show says, every bride has a vision...and david has revisions. in this case, the revision included a gothic romance aesthetic for the fabulous ceremony programs, table numbers, escort cards and menus, all in lush rose red and dramatic black lace. below is a sneak peek, shot by the amazing harvard photography.

we are delighted for the bride & groom and their families, and were honored to be a part of their amazing day. we hope you tune in and join the fun!

personalized custom wedding invitations

one very important detail to know when choosing wedding invitations is that many designers offer to personalize some of the custom designs they have in their galleries. this is good news for brides who may love a design but not its color scheme, or love a color palette but feel it needs an extra custom touch.

consider these two options from our safari chic collection — both are safari-themed destination wedding invitations featuring similar design and font elements, yet each is uniquely styled to the event and personality of each couple.

while the first is rustic and organic, using recycled materials and an earthy color palette, the second option is sleek, slightly more formal — and at the same time more playful and wild. i adore the addition of the guinea fowl feather, which adds a unique natural opulence.

bottom line is, never be afraid to point out the things you love about a stationer's work and ask them to personalize to your tastes. many designers (like me) take pride in making something new out of a design they already love.

sleek summer wedding fashion

no matter if you're planning your wedding or happen to be in the wedding industry (like me), sooner or later you're going to have to attend a wedding — and thus start thinking about dresses on a much smaller (and non-white) scale.

naturally, i obsess over my guest attire as much as I do everything else wedding-related, and have found that fashion choices for a late-summer evening wedding can be a little tricky. of course, with help from elie tahari, christian louboutin and kate spade, i'm always in good hands.

my faaaavorite piece is the elie tahari dress. it's light-as-air silk, and with the tulip sleeves, it will be perfect for warm weather that cools down in the evening.

with all the sleek black and splashes of purple, i thought the clutch should be simple. kate spade is queen of simple chic, so her lella clutch was an easy choice. as were these onyx drop earrings from forever 21 — they look like a million bucks but barely cost anything at all. honestly, forever 21 is one of my favorite accessory stores, because it lets me save so i can splurge on critical items like shoes.

oh, and these shoes. purple louboutin suede pumps. don't be afraid of suede in summer. the peep-toe keeps these airy and appropriate. and, um, they're louboutin. need i say more?