image of the moment • brilliant studios

photography (like paper artistry) is a core obsession at paper olive, so i am always delighted to discover someone new — especially when their work jumps off the page like this image did.

shot by brilliant studios at a wedding styled by good gracious! events, this image absolutely delights in every way. the trendy lemon yellow pops against hot pink flowers (a color combo i'm mad about), and the over-sized white love lettering is just...i can't even find the words.

i love this love.

beautiful miami blues

with the summer in full swing and an obsession with hgtv's color splash (set in south florida), i've found myself in a miami state of mind.

what makes a perfect miami wedding? beyond beachy elements or tropical mainstays, a modern miami wedding is a little more sophisticated, like the four seasons wedding featured below — all watery cool blues, rich sandy golds, and lots of crisp white.

i not only love the simplicity of this palette, but the various opportunities it allows to play with multiple hues of blue. i just want to dive into a plate of those aqua macaroons, don't you?

design and photo credits

first row — {wedding cake} gimme some sugar via chelsea nicole • {bouquet} martha stewart weddings • {bride on chaise} rodrigo varela photography

second row — {event space & design} the four seasons hotel miami • {cocktail ring} polyvore

third row — {blue shoes} klk photography via project wedding • {macaroons} la prochaine fois

celebrity event designer preston bailey goes back to school

for anyone as in love with the wedding industry as i am, you are surely also in love with the work of world-renowned design icon preston bailey. well, you'll be happy to know that now, you can learn from the expert himself through the wedding planning institute.

bailey has joined forces with lovegevity's wedding planning institute, the industry leader in certification and training for wedding and event professionals. together, they will create and launch the first event design course of its kind, based on bailey's 30-years of experience with celebrities such as donald trump, oprah winfrey, uma thurman, joan rivers, donna karan, liza minnelli, matt lauer, catherine zeta-ones, ivanka trump and others.

preston bailey’s signature wedding & event design course will allow students to experience the step-by-step processes and techniques he pioneered. starting august 15, 2010,the course will be rolling out to nearly 2,000 local academic institutions around the country, including university of texas in arlington, miami-dade college, university of colorado in colorado springs and brooklyn college. it will also be made directly available to students through an online program hosted by the wedding planning institute.

for more details, or for curious prospective students, hop over to the wpi site and enroll. college has never been so cool.

orange + teal = a fresh modern wedding palette

you probably know by now that i am in love with the color orange. one of my favorite things about it is its flawless ability to pair beautifully with almost any other color — rich chocolate brown, crisp lime green, and of course, moody teal blue.

while i adore orange and aquamarine (that's worthy of another post), there is something almost magical about pairing vibrant orange with this deeper, darker teal.

these vanda orchids absolutely pop against crisp white containers and a base of dark blue linens. i just love it.

these colors, in fact, were a major inspiration for the custom invitations featured here, which paired bright tangerine with an elegant, almost inky teal. they're modern and sophisticated, like the overall palette. the overall effect is unique — and doesn't every bride want to stand out from the crowd?

design & photo credits

first row — {custom wedding invitations} • paper olive; {clementine dessert favors} • photo by rodney bailey photography, flowers by enchanted florist, place settings & linens by dc rental

second row — {cocktails} • photo by rodney bailey photography, flowers by enchanted florist, place settings & linens by dc rental; {boutonniere & tie} • photo by amanda herzberger, suit by men's wearhouse, via the knot

third row — {orchid tablescape} • jules bianchi photography; {satin shoes} • photo by hillary mayberry, via the knot

black damask & plum silk box wedding invitation

we just had to share one of our latest wedding invite designs — a glorious silk box invitation that mixes classic with modern, and lush with super luxe.

a rich black damask pattern is given a contemporary twist with the addition of lively plum purple. we love the mix. coordinating rsvp and directions cards continue the look, neatly tucked into their own individual pockets.

then, a smooth ivory silk box with a dramatic gatefold is paired with gorgeously tactile black dupioni silk ribbon, which finishes the gift-like package with whimsical elegance. the look is clean, upscale, luxurious, and still very simple. our favorite kind of design.

this look could be mixed with a dozen other color palettes — black with pink or lime green, or perhaps even a blue or plum box with coordinating ribbon and inks. the possibilities are endless. what would you choose?

favorite floral trend — king protea

i gravitate towards the unusual, the unexpected and the unique. so naturally, my list of personal favorites tends to include some uncommon choices.

this definitely applies to one of my favorite flowers — the king protea, south africa's national bloom. the juxtaposition of its delicate pink color mixed with its spiky, almost cactus-like leaves makes the king protea a dramatic choice for a bridal bouquet. carry this down the aisle and everyone will be talking.

these are just two of examples of how to soften and highlight this magnificent flower. it pairs with bright and soft palates, blends beautifully with rustic twigs or sophisticated roses.

can you not also imagine it in cascading centerpieces on tables and ledges all throughout an event? spectacular.

photo credits

top photo, christine meintjes. bottom photo, kent meireis.

laura mercier on gilt groupe

for all my gilt groupe members out there, you'll love this. renowed make-up powerhouse laura mercier is going to available beginning this thursday, june 10, at noon (eastern time, that is).

for those who may not know, gilt groupe (www.gilt.com) is a by-invitation-only luxury retailer, offering access to fashion and luxury brands at prices up to 70% off retail. each sale lasts 36 hours and features hand selected styles from a single designer. in other words, it's fabulous.

two of my favorite offerings? the spring blooms lip & cheek brush kit — i'm nuts about the case, and the colors. also, the body & bath duo crème brulee. crème brulee and beauty products? brilliant combo. and the fact the this creamy set is applied with a honey stirrer promises an even more luxurious experience.

see you thursday? :o)

starfish beach wedding invitations

we're delighted to share some updated color palettes for one of our favorite designs — our starfish beach wedding invitation.

our original starfish design featured a creamy palette of sunny orange and warm chocolate brown, a truly beloved color combo. but possibly even more delightful are our combos in sage & aqua, and aqua & chocolate.

this oceanic blue is always a perfect match for chocolate brown, while the light, crisp sage green adds an ethereal touch that is just delightfully cheerful. both are beachy in a totally unique way.

another new touch? silk dupioni ribbon in place of hand-dyed silk in the original. the textured fabric adds an incredible tactile quality. we love the new options, and hope you'll agree!