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.

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. :)

real weddings • jessica and jeff • a vintage southern fete

recently i had the honor of attending the vintage-inspired wedding of jessica and jeff, a gloriously joyful affair that spanned a full weekend in historic elkin, north carolina — complete with antique lace, chic rustic touches and full-on southern charm.

starting with custom invitations screen printed on vintage flea market handkerchiefs, the couple was deliberate in every creative choice. from the peacefully lush wooded ceremony backdrop at elkin creek vineyard in the bride's hometown, to the low country menu at twenty one and main (which featured favorites like shrimp & grits and sweet potato cakes) this southern wedding was complete — right down to the fabulous red velvet cake made by the bride's mom. do you love it?

wedding photos courtesy of abigail seymour photography.

beach wedding ideas • seahorses

i love beach weddings. and while i adore the more traditional beachy elements like starfish and sand dollars, i am simply wild about the seahorse — there's just something inherently whimsical about it that adds a cheerful playfulness to any beach wedding design aesthetic.

these are merely a few of my favorite ideas, all featured in muted blues and sandy earth tones, which helps keep the design scheme sophisticated and breezy. the best in the bunch? those hand-knitted cupcake toppers. crazy fun.

design and photo credits

clockwise from top left — {beach wedding invitations} paper olive • {cupcakes} diy via fat orange cat studio photography • {seahorse totes} beachik via etsy • {vintage spoon} beach house living • {candles} escape concepts • {napkin ring} pottery barn

organic chic wedding invitations

a friend recently enlisted me to design her wedding invitations, with three very specific design requirements: simple, chic, and organic. below is the resulting suite i created for her, and i think it is already a favorite.

the lush tree silhouette is clearly the organic focal point, but i also brought in tactile elements like white linen paper and mailer boxes, as well as natural dupioni silk ribbon as a clean, fresh accent. the entire look is proof positive that you don't always have to be over-the-top in your presentation in order to make a unique first impression.

plus, anytime you can keep that impression green by celebrating the beauty of earth's natural elements, i'm always a fan.

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.

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)

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.

beach wedding ideas • sand dollars

living in los angeles, i am privileged to have easy access to the beach — the inspiration for today's blog, which is all about one of my favorite beach wedding elements, the sand dollar.

elegant, nautical, and whimsical at once, the sand dollar offers dozens of design possibilities for a perfect beach wedding. from chic beach wedding invitations, to tactile escort cards, to amazing photo and decor options, these are just a handful of the ideas available for your seaside event.

design and photo credits

first row — {shell escort cards} laura hooper calligraphy • {napkins} family circle • {striped cake} cake work

second row — {wedding rings} lisa schaffer photography • {silk box invitations} paper olive • {beer escort cards} laura hooper, photo by lisa franchot photography, via bridal bar

third row — {boutonniere} blue flourish • {floral centerpiece} maimy m&m via flickr • {ring pillow} to have and to hold

color splash miami • inspired

as you may have noticed from my recent posts, i am obsessed with the colors and freshness of miami lately. one major obsession is color splash miami on hgtv.

not only are david bromstad's interior design transformations dramatic and vibrant, they are fabulous inspiration for other areas of design .

behold my latest color transformation fave, and the inspiration for a new line of stationery and invitations. sunny lemon yellow, soft white marabou, hot pink silk and hints of moroccan texture? i'm wild about it.

i'll be sure to send my own after pics when the designs are complete. :o)

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?

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!