orchids and high heels and pink, oh my!

these are absolutely over the top ... and fabulous because of it.  thank you to my dear friend andrea of superfine bakery for tipping me off to them. they have inspired a new romance with pink and with orchids, and i am excited about the paper designs that may grow out of this.

plus, i think i need to track down a pair of them just for myself.  just ... because.

cake pop birthday announcements

yet again, i've found myself working on something truly extraordinary with two of my favorite clients, who are about to celebrate one year with their twin baby girls.  never a couple to go the traditional route, they wanted to announce and share the girl's beautiful birth ... and beautiful birthday cake ... with all of their loved ones in a fun, unique way.  i think they nailed it.

this tri-cut foldout opens with a thermography printed announcement, featuring a line drawing of the girls' cake, trimmed in sparkly swarovski crystals.  in the center spotlight is a glorious photo of the girls enjoying their custom birthday cake, decked out in sparkly rock candy!  finally, this announcement offers each guest four delicious cake pops by sweet e's bake shop ... yes, each dipped in sparkly red, yellow and purple sugar.

each foldout was then tied in yellow satin ribbon and shipped in hot pink gourmet food boxes with custom labels.  who wouldn't want to celebrate these girls with a fun-loving (and totally yummy) announcement like this?  

crocodile skin + bling = one-of-a-kind beach wedding chic

in the spirit of sharing some of my favorite work, i just had to post some new photos of possibly the most fun custom wedding invitations i've ever done.  i'm calling them crocodile glam, and can't wait to set up the official photo shoot.

the details: white faux crocodile skin book-fold folios featuring the couple's monogram in genuine swarovski crystals, lined with banana leaves, stacked with an array of itinerary inserts, all highlighting an embossed invitation backed in black vinyl crocodile paper.

the best thing about them?  the couple told me most people refused to send back the rsvp cards, as they hated to disassemble something so artfully made!  some have even displayed the invitation like a piece of art or a photo in their homes — like the couple themselves.

if this doesn't inspire creative couples to believe they can walk on the wild side in high style, nothing can.  bravo, nikki and chad!

the white party

recently, two of my favorite clients (for whom i've done wedding and birthday invitations) contacted me about throwing an out-of-this-world white party.  naturally, i was delighted.  they were looking for a mix of mod and bling, with one simple goal: make it impossible for the guest who opens the invite to decline.

White Party Invitation CONCEPT.

above is the winning concept, while below is the final product.  what do you think?  ultimately, my gorgeous clients were floored — so much so that they invited me to the party!  i love my job always, but sometimes, there are extra special perks (like the amazing people i get to work with) that make it less of a job and more a dream.  :)

White Party Invitation: FINAL.

dishing on la with luxe magazine

last fall, i was contacted by the fabulous luxe interiors + design to take part in a feature for the winter edition of their equally fabulous publication, luxe magazine. as a designer in la, i dished on eateries, cocktails, escapes, local adventures, and of course, all things design.

i am thrilled to share a sneak preview of the article here, which features an amazing watercolor rendering of yours truly. i am so proud to have been asked to dish on my favorite city for such a lush, stylish institution!

look for the issue to hit newsstands on january 17. 2012 couldn't have started off any better. :)

vintage cakes by superfine bakery

next to the stationery and fashion, my favorite part of any wedding is the cake. i've featured many different cakeries on my blog over the years, but a consistent fave has always been superfine bakery in studio city california.

what i love most about superfine's style — set by owner and master baker andrea boudewijn — is the eclectic whimsy. always elegant, and always delicious, there is a grand simplicity and playfulness about all of andrea's designs, like this set of vintage cakes for a wedding aboard the queen mary.

andrea understands what it is to have fun with your design choices, and so she attracts brides who appreciate this too. always a pleasure to see what's baking over at superfine!

romance and carolina herrera • spring 2012

while my personal tastes in wedding gowns probably fall more towards the sleek, chic and simple these days, there is nothing that can change my mind quite like a classic carolina herrera gown.

her designs are so uniquely feminine, lush and romantic that i can't help but fall in love. this is my favorite from the 2012 collection. outstanding.

photo credit: brides.com

lovely lotus wedding invitations • sami & aaron

we are so honored to have been a part of sami and arron's recent wedding at the terranea resort in palos verdes, spectacularly photographed by lin & jirsa. you should spend a moment reviewing their blog feature on this exceptional wedding — ideal for any couple planning to work with color.

speaking of color, when sami first came to me asking for elegant wedding invitations that successfully featured bold colors — like plum, silver and teal — i was immediately excited. when she then revealed that her wedding theme was designed around the ever-elegant lotus flower, i was even more delighted.

we will follow up with further photos of the final product, featuring a magnificent dupioni silk envelope and lush thermography. check back for details. :)

and congrats, sami and aaron!

peacock wedding invitations • a beautiful thing

one of my favorite all-time visions is the sight of a fully completed order of beautiful wedding invitations, just before they are packed up to be delivered to a happy bride. this is one of my recent favorites. :)

spotlight on brilliance • shopstyle.com

have you ever wished it were possible to simultaneously shop at all of your favorite stores for all possible styles of red heels, black dresses or some other fabulous piece? or better yet, find out if another store might have the item that sold out at your local bloomingdales?

guess what? it's possible — and i actually cannot believe i haven't blogged about it before.

shopstyle.com is a brilliant website that not only gives you a window into the best online stores — nordstrom, shopbop, bluefly and more — but let's you save favorite items, track when they go on sale, and even schedule email reminders. ridiculously cool, right?

i love sharing the fun stuff. just don't blame me for the effect on your wallet.

couture wedding studios captures pure joy

sometimes i come across something so refreshing, so fun, and so original that i feel the need to share it for that reason alone. this is one of those times.

wouldn't you have loved to have been a guest at this wedding? such pure joy and delight, captured beautifully by couture wedding studios. in love.

paper olive featured again in weddings in houston magazine

one of our favorite magazines, weddings in houston, has once again featured paper olive in one of their glorious style articles — this time, on the beauty and importance of a couple's first impression: the wedding invitation.

we are delighted to be counted among such fabulous design experts, and as always, think the cover is simply spectacular!

inspiration • indian weddings

happily, one of my long-time favorite style trends is becoming quite popular with 2011 brides: the indian-themed wedding.

whether you are marrying in new dehli, met in bombay, or just want to add some exotic colorful flair to your day, these ideas are sure to spark a little bit of bollywood glam.

design and photo credits

first row — {wedding cake} design cakes via flickr • {ceremony site} olivia leigh photography

via elizabeth anne designs • {bridal makeup} wedding come true

second row — {henna} luxury hindu weddings • {bouquets} heather parker photography • {shell ring pillows} the knot

third row — {groom on horse} serendipity photography • {bride & groom with petals} slr lounge

style faves • monique lhuillier 2011

if anyone knows how to ring in a new year, it's monique lhuillier. with a signature style that always seems to reinvent itself from year to year, lhuillier's gowns are continually fresh, showstopping, and always one of my favorite things about any new season.

from an exquisite spring collection that absolutely tops itself from dress to dress, these are my two favorites in the bunch — jules, a super chic short dress for the fashionably flirty, and giada, a breathtaking embroidered stunner that i've never quite seen anything like before. just in love.

twist on a holiday favorite

there is nothing more inviting or comforting than the sight of a family of christmas stockings all lined up above a warm holiday fireplace. visions of red and green and reindeer come to mind.

but i'm absolutely in love with this chic twist on the idea — cozy cable knit and simply elegant, these ivory stockings from pottery barn line the mantle with clean happy lines, letting the thoughtful gifts poking out above each embroidered red name be the joyful focal point.

merry christmas to all, and in fabulous style!

wild about anemones

i've always been a fan of crisp black and white anemones, but i've seen them recently with a splash of color...and i think they may be my new favorite trend.

there is just something playful and delicate about these flowers, and the hint of color makes them slightly more casual, as well as versatile. they are just so unapologetically bold, with their robust black centers and curvaceous petals. looking for unique floral ideas? you can't go wrong here.

design and photo credits

{bouquet} martha stewart • {wedding cake} the caketress • {hair accessory} brina babe

unique chic • colored diamonds

i am a huge fan of the unexpected, the original, the uniquely chic. and one of the most unique things i've discovered recently is a new trend towards unusual engagement or wedding rings.

sapphires, rose gold, canary diamonds. there will always be something timeless about a perfectly cut clear diamond, but there is also something exciting — and highly personal — about the inclusion of color. these colored diamond rings available at icestore.com are some of my favorites.

which one appeals most to you?

type style obsessions • penabico

i love pretty things. especially when those pretty things meet paper, color and fabulous accents.

of course, all pretty stationery elements are incomplete without an equally gorgeous type style, which can transcend a smart design into something truly spectacular — and my very favorite new font is penabico.

it's vintage and full of flourish, but also quite whimsical. it would be perfect paired with a modern block font, or filling up an entire card with its luscious lines. it's fonts like this that make me love printed calligraphy.

in love also? you can get this from myfonts.com and make your own pretty things. be sure to share them with me!

image of the week • gavin photography

sometimes, you don't need words. sometimes, simple beauty speaks all on its own.

photo courtesy of gavin photography.

cake chic • a halloween wedding

i love a good theme wedding when it's done with a sense of whimsy and true personal style, so in the spirit of all hallows eve, i thought it would be good to share one of my favorite halloween-themed cakes, masterfully created by anne heap at pink cake box.

inspired by the time burton move the corpse bride, we have nothing but ghoulish things to say. all of them good, of course. happy halloween!