paper source

i am a paper junkie. there. i said it. i love all things paper--letter press, engraving, linen, the weight and bond, and of course the colors. i am hoping to attend the paper show in nyc next month, and just the thought gives me butterflies, but i digress. feeding my paper addiction for many years now is paper source. it has a wonderful selection of papers (duh) in all sorts of colors in addition to pre-printed cards, wrapping papers, custom invitiations, annoucements and photocards.

i am so excited about the launch of the paper source 2010 exclusive wedding invitation collection, i only wish they were around back when i got married. they now offer super styled invitations in fonts both modern and classic in a wonderful choice of color palates. they are truly unique and feature embellishments like enclosures, fine papers as sashes and envelope liners and ribbons. you can also choose coordinating pieces like engagement invitations, personal stationary etc. you select either flat printing or letter press, colors and of course the wording. live help is available when you are "designing" and your invitation is typeset by their design team with a proof emailed to you within days. and perhaps the best thing for you brides is that being able to do all of this design and ordering online makes it easy to do yet more wedding planning at work...don't worry, i won't tell your boss.

it's like hiring an expensive designer, only without the hefty price tag.  the designs really are special. here are a few of my favorites, and it was difficult to just choose a few...

freeland weddings

i want to recommend a super talented photographer erik freeland, for any of you looking for a wedding photographer, particularly in the southern part of connecticut. erik is based in nyc, but available throughout connecticut. i worked with erik about a year or so ago and can attest to his amazing eye for photography. he even impressed my old-crotchety-hard-to-please-boss (no easy feat, believe me!). and perhaps the best thing i can say about him is that erik is just a wonderful down to earth guy. you can view his work on his website at http://www.freelandweddings.com/.

the upside of rain

because without spring showers we don't get these (gorgeous) flowers....

veronica + shawn part deux

we recently received the beautiful professional photography of veronica and shawn's wedding from michelle wade huston photography. i think you'll agree that veronica looks amazing as was her entire wedding.

and how cute is this...

a make-believe wedding

am so excited to have finally gotten my hands on these photos! they are from an october bridal shoot that was hosted by carla ten eyck photography and jubilee events with just for you providing the flowers. carla ten eyck hosts what she calls "ten eyck tuesdays" for photographers. it's a collaborative effort to plan a "pretend" wedding for photographers to explore and fine tune their skills and even learn a new thing or two with respect to wedding photography. for jane, it was the rare opportunity to create flowers without any restrictions (budget or design-wise!). candace from jubilee originally came up with a "vintage ballerina" theme, so jane put together the ideas she wanted to create within those parameters. she then filled her van with all sorts of other flowers, greens, vases, silver and even her mother's old fainting lounge (which is in a few of the photos). once on site her original inspirations grew and evolved into something more ethereal and wild. the results were fantastic and it was due in no small part to the collaborative effort of all the vendors who were there. any event is successful not just because of one element but because all the pieces work to make a cohesive whole.  this endeavor is a beauty.

for jane

i'm ba-ack.

what it really means

i remember reading something gwyneth paltrow said years ago when asked about her elopement to chris martin. the interviewer asked her if she felt she missed out not having a "real" wedding, and gwyneth's response was something like, "i get to dress up and be a princess for my job so i didn't really need all that." and i think, you know, that's not really what a wedding is really about, is it? it's about celebrating your love with all of your friends and family gathered around you. sure you want to look beautiful in "The Dress" with gorgeous flowers (otherwise we'd have to take away your girl card!) but most important it's a moment in time when you mark the beginning of your new life with your husband and everyone you love and everyone who loves and supports you is there to share in the magic.

i've been m.i.a. from the blog as i've been in california. this afternoon i went to a baby shower for an old high school girlfriend that was held on the bar patio of cordevalle  in san martin, california. i was able to catch up with dear friends amidst breathtaking surroundings, enjoy a wonderful lunch, the perfect glass of  chilled wine and think to myself, "i am one lucky girl."

later this evening i am looking forward to a big surprise birthday party for another girlfriend. it's moments and events like these that matter, and unfortunately they happen too infrequently.  here's a toast to making memories with the ones you love.

saltwater vineyard wedding

since jane is in a purple mood (then again, when isn't she?), these photos are perfect to post.

the stunning photography by megan la barbera of creative image collections, showcases the wonderful rustic wildflowers just for you did for a wedding held at the saltwater vineyard. for the centerpieces, jane used a brushed metal glavanized  rectangular planter resulting in a super simple and very modern arrangement. what's particularly lovely is that there is nothing too structured about the arrangements and each is unique. the contrast between the steel and the wildflowers and greenery is perfect. i daresay,  if i had a do-over for my own wedding i'd go with something like this.

p.s. i love a man who is not afraid to wear purple.

2 days and counting

i spoke to my mother last night on the phone and she thought we were arriving today (tuesday) instead of thursday when we really are. poor lady is so excited to see her grandbabies and has to wait a little longer. little does she know, in my head, i'm already there...

which brings me to manzanita branches. they have become increasingly popular and used in wonderful ways for weddings. did you know they are exclusively found in western north america and that 95 of the 106 species of the manzanita tree are found in--you guessed it--california.  the smooth, twisty branches are perfect ornamental branches and have a wonderful ability to invoke many different vibes. from enchanted to rustic, whimsical to organic. for a recent wedding we painted some manzanita branches black and draped them with clear crystal jewels for the table with the seating arrangements. it looked downright elegant.

and of course they're wonderful for other special events and projects...

painted gold and used as a chandelier!

...and even a manzanita branch wall decal.

vintage beauty

when i think of the colours pink and black together it makes me think of a glamourous ladies boudoir from the 1930s--a time when women wore silk dressing gowns with feathers, their manicures were always perfect and you would never catch a lady without her lipstick properly applied. when a lady was a lady. veronica's flowers remind me of just this. we recently did flowers for her wedding and to create veronica's pink, cream and black inspiration, jane used cream coloured peonies, anenomes and soft pink ranunculous for her bouquet. these are all luscious flowers which were uniquely offset with black velvet leaves, birdcage veil fabric and creamy feathers.  veronica was a beautiful, classy bride with flowers to match.

veronica has also started a blog of her own documenting her new married life. you can check it out at http://www.mylifeasanewwife327.blogspot.com/. her husband is one lucky guy.