paper olive nominated for best bridal blog by the wedding channel!

we are positively over the moon about our nomination for best bridal blog by the wedding channel! we certainly love what we do, and we are honored that our colleagues have recognized us.

we've been nominated in the best wedding vendor blog category, as well as best wedding blog. sincerely, considering that we are fans of many of our competitors, it is an honor to be listed among them. just take look at this fabulous list of nominees.

if you'd like to support us with your vote, you can do so as many times as you would like. truly, we are so thankful for the love and support of our fans and followers. without you, we wouldn't have much fun doing this. good luck to everyone!

a little love from little white book

we were delighted to discover a recent blog post about one of our favorite invitation designs, black tie, beautifully featured by the wonderful uk event planning company, little white book.

their style is all clean lines, contemporary flair, and chic color palettes. i am in love. have a look at their fabulous write up on us, and be sure to check them out for your own uk wedding. thanks so much for the love, little white book!

hotel del coronado • the ultimate beach wedding

i just returned from a glorious weekend in san diego, california, where i was privileged to stay, sun and dine at the hotel del coronado. honestly, there is no other hotel on earth to match it.

the travel channel rates the del as the number one wedding destination in america, and it's no wonder. i ultimately chose a tuscan escape for my wedding, but my second choice was a casually elegant beach wedding at the del. it's quintissentially californian, quintissentially fabulous.

the hotel beach is vast, pillowy and pure white, and the hotel architecture is a throwback to the east coast, with its nautical trimmings, wraparound porches and english woodwork.

the accommodations are updated with modern touches, but still have an old-world feel. again, it's no wonder, since the del is an historical landmark.

can't you just see your wedding here? the beach ceremony above takes my breath away. it's just so inviting, so lush. so romantic.

the hotel also has great restaurants, pools and shops, which means a perfect escape for you and your guests. there's a sizable price tag for a del wedding, yes, but the overall setting is priceless. i couldn't wait to blog about it, seriously.

in fact, below is our beachcomber invitation, which was inspired by hotel del coronado. nestled in a luxe white box to match the beaches, the invite was adorned with blue abaca ribbon and leather cord, and secured with a genuine sand dollar. it's the essence of beach wedding chic.

if you are interested in more information about your own wedding at the del, visit the del's celebration center for details. and be sure to invite me!

photo & design credits: hotel del photos courtesy of hotel del coronado. wedding ceremony photos by tim otto photography, featuring floral design by karen tran florals. sand dollar beach wedding invitation by paper olive.

kendra wilkinson & hank baskett wed with custom stationery by paper olive

this past saturday, former playboy playmate kendra wilkinson joyfully tied the knot with nfl player hank baskett at the playboy mansion in los angeles.

leading up to the event — expertly planned by nicole hirsty at cobalt events — paper olive was enlisted to design some of the custom wedding stationery for the couple. we were honored to be part of kendra's & hank's special day, which featured a palette of white with accents of lavender.

below are several pics of our favorite pieces, like kendra's and hank's whimsical rehearsal dinner invitations, and chic hang tags that accompanied guest welcome baskets.

we really liked the unique striped backing of the rehearsal dinner invites, as well as the coordinated frame design on the outer envelopes.

on the hang tags, we were in love with the "key" theme of the message and design that kendra and hank chose. it speaks to their love story, giving the cards an extra personal touch.

paper olive congratulates the newlyweds, and wishes them a life of health and happiness...along with their little-one-to-be! it was our pleasure to be a part of it all.

i'm over it • lease your jewels, be ever-fabulous

i'm always on the hunt for new ideas, be they wedding-related or just plain fabulous in their own right. so in that spirit, i share with you an idea that fits both categories.

recently i came across a unique jewelry company that does for baubles what bag, borrow or steal did for handbags, and i'm just in love with the concept. i'm over it ingeniously leases special event jewelry, which is an incredibly smart option for brides and their guests alike. i have quite a few weddings to attend this summer, and i've already picked out my jewelry!

i'll save a bundle if i rent versus buy, which is great for someone like me — because when it comes to sparkle, what i love today i might be bored with tomorrow. besides my engagement and wedding rings, i lose interest fast...i'm what you might call fickle.

in fact, i'm over it actually mentions this idea in a super-helpful "top ten reasons to lease jewelry" list on their blog:

• 10.) to make more room in your budget for that new purse and shoes.
• 9.) so you can stop adding to your jewelry graveyard! (...you know you have one.)
• 8.) to satisfy your constant desire for new jewelry.
• 7.) because you have commitment issues...with jewelry that is.
• 6.) you get bored easily....again with jewelry.
• 5.) to improve the relationship you have with your mother--mother earth that is! reduce, reuse, recycle!
• 4.) you save money....you SAVE money.
• 3.) it's fun to get new jewelry in the mail...
• 2.) ...and even more fun to send it back for something new.
• 1.) because it just makes sense in this economy!

clevah, huh?