Alesia Zorn Calligraphy

Soiree Special Event Planning - Countryside Villa - Bravo! Wedding Affair Nov. '09

I don't even know where to begin to talk about the lovely ladies of Soiree.  They've been so supportive of me, ever since I first went into business.  More than anyone else, they'll call and say "Can you write on...?" and come up with some cool new thing.  Molli is the fairy godmother of the chalk board menus, an idea that came about when she did a TV shoot on Eco-Friendly Weddings.  The chalk boards are a wonderful idea on so many levels!

This summer was no exception - a client of theirs had a magazine photo, she wanted these quilled hearts replicated.  They were so cute!  When I talked to Molli about her Countryside Villa, I asked her if she'd like more hearts.  (When I got the paper for the first job I bought a ream of paper and had the whole thing cut - I just did the math, that means there were 7000 strips, I've probably used about 200.  You like these hearts?  Let's talk!

These make darling (IMHO) place cards.  (Mary is my new sister-in-law, hi Mary!)

Here's how they look on the table...

I enabled the pop up on this photo so you can see the all the gorgeous detail on this tablescape, put together by Soiree and Crystal Lilies.

One other thing that I did earlier this summer made an appearance in the Countryside Villa room - tags!!

The tags attached to the little pear say "Eat Drink Dance" - wiser words were never spoken!  I used these tags for the Rustic client from earlier this summer (a million thanks to Crystal Lilies for sending the bride my way, there's more to come on that wedding in the next few weeks) - and that has started a new obsession for me - TAGS!!  All sorts of tags.  I want to put tags on everything (the cats are not amused.)  Keep an eye out for more tags in the future!

Encore Events - Moonlit Beach - Bravo! Wedding Affair - Nov '09

Working with Cindy from Encore Events is always so much fun!  Each time the Bravo! Wedding Affair comes around I can't wait to hear what she's thinking about doing with her theme for that show.  This past November is was an idea she's been mulling over for awhile - Moonlit Beach.  I love what she, along with Kay of Flowers for You, came up with!

This is the ceremony site - it's not just the freezing cold Portland temps that are making me dream of the beach!   (photo courtesy of Paul Rich Studio)

This is the reception area, isn't it lush?  When I win Powerball, I want to dine at lush tablescapes like this for every meal.  Every single one.  (photo courtesy of Jessica Hill Photography)

My contributions to the room was writing* on sand dollars...

... as place cards... 
 (photo courtesy of Jessica Hill Photography)

... and then the bride & grooms initials on the teeniest sand dollars - so cute!

(photo courtesy of Paul Rich Studio)

I can hardly wait to find out what Cindy has up her sleeve for the February Bravo! Wedding Affair!!

*I'd like to think when I win Powerball I would do my own calligraphy for my lush tablescapes... we'll just have to wait and see ;-)

Garden Vineyard Room - Bravo! Wedding Affair Nov. '09

Oooh!  I've got a disc FULL of gorgeous pictures of the Bravo! Wedding Affair from last month.  The disc generously comes from Paul Rich Studio.

A little while ago, I cross posted to a blog entry from Champagne Wedding & Event Coordination.  They, along with Helene of East West Floral Arts came up with the design for their Garden Vineyard room.  How beautiful is this?!

I'll always remember walking around looking at all the eye candy - and wondering "why do I smell grapes?"  This would be why - and that's up on the ceiling, my friend!  So pretty!  This was early in the day, there's a suspended candle in there, really lovely when they're all lit up.

   

My contribution to the room was a chalk board listing the vendors.  This is such a great eco-friendly way to get information out.  I rent out the chalk board and write whatever you'd like - a list of vendors, or a menu, program, meeting agenda - then the board comes back home and all the lettering comes off and the board waits to head out to its next party!

Thanks again to Paul for the pictures and Mandy & Rachelle of Champagne Weddings & Events for asking me to contribute to their room!

Photos from the February Bravo Show

Last night my e-mail box was blessed with photos from the February Bravo show.  I wanted to immediately get them on the blog but knew I was too tired and too excited (think a 5-year old past bedtime) to make any sense.

After a good night's sleep I'm not tired but still excited so I'll try to make sense of it all.  The Bravo Wedding Affair is held in a hotel, each ballroom and pre-function room is assigned to a wedding planner who works with the vendors assigned to their room to decorate it according to their theme.  This is when the planners get to cut loose and bring their vision to reality.  It's always so much fun to help out, they're so creative and come up with the greatest things.

For the February show, Cindy Rosen of Encore Events hit me with some fantastic and fun ideas for her Oregon Vineyard theme (for those not from around here and not familiar, Oregon puts out some fantastic wines.  Oregon Pinot Noir has often kicked even French Pinot patootie in taste tests.  Oregon represent!)  OK, I'm admittedly not a devoted vinophile, I'm obviously a tad proud of my state ;-) so it was even more fun to work with Cindy & her great theme.

First up, the place cards...

These little wine glasses held tea lights to act as the place cards AND a light source.  The lettering on these glasses is removable, so they're eco-friendly (hello! we're in Oregon).  For a real wedding it would by easy-peasy to make the lettering permanent and this would also act as a favor.  Multi-tasking at it's finest - place card, light and favor

Next up, the signature cocktail from Premiere Catering...

     

I'm never happy when scheduling conflicts mean I miss the Bravo shows, and this time I was even more unhappy when I found out Premiere would be one of the vendors in Cindy's room.  They always do a spectacular job!  I did an eco-friendly chalkboard to compliment the room's colors of eggplant, sage, copper and all things vineyardy.

And now - cake signage.  I think the toughest thing about being a calligrapher is doing menus - me want CAKE!

   

Of course the purpose of the photo is for me to wow you with my calligraphy and don't get me wrong, I'm proud of my work but ... c'mon...read about that cake - how awesome (it is 9am and I haven't had breakfast, can you tell?)

I've saved the best for last - the "guest book." 

This was Cindy's idea and I'm thrilled she asked me to bring it to life...  signing a giant wine bottle. It would be fun to say Cindy & I drank the whole thing because artists must suffer for their art, but it's not true.  She received it from a rental company who grabbed it at an event.  Again with an eco-friendly chalkboard, completely reusable.

Many thanks to Nataliya Sostin Photography www.sostinweddings.com for the lovely photos. A big shout-out to Kevan Inouye who provided the gorgeous and luscious floral of which you've only seen teasing hints.

Save the date for the Bravo Wedding Affair!

If you're getting married anywhere near Portland, Oregon, you really must attend the Bravo Wedding Affair on Sunday, November 23rd, 2008!  It really is much more than a show, it's an "event!" 

The show is held at the Embassy Suites Downtown Portland, a gorgeous venue that sets the tone right from the beginning.  Each one of their meeting rooms and ballrooms is assigned to a bridal consultant and they, together with the featured vendors in their room, put together the most fantastic wedding-related tableaux according to their chosen themes.

I participated in the wedding affair last February.  I was in the room overseen by Molli Barss and her staff from Soiree.  The room colors were a luscious red and a crisp light blue and lots and lots of bling.

I contributed a few things to the room - starting with calligraphing incredible place cards.   The place cards are in the middle of the of the flower crystal plates.  The table design was a joint effort between Soiree and East West Floral Arts.  This photo showing off their design talent comes to us from photographer David Barss.

The place cards were designed by Jeca Designs.  Cali came up with multiple designs and asked me which I liked best - not fair!!  They were all fantastic, but this is what we nailed it down to one design with 2 options, black flowers (which you see in the photo) and white flowers, which I scanned: 

The 2 dark spots are in real life flashy, blingy crystals.  They're so pretty and I'm so happy I could add this to my portfolio.  Cali from Jeca Design was a delight to work with, she had such great ideas, was so enthusiastic and so on top of things!

Molli chose to put a kids' table in her room as well as the fantabulous center table (really, I'm running out of superlatives so now I'll make them up.)  It was such a fun idea!  My contribution was little chalkboards that acted as place cards AND place mats:

How cute is that?  Molli has great ideas.  The little silver cups contain, from left to right Legos, candy and chalk.  This photo is also courtesy of David Barss.

I'm unable to attend the Bravo Wedding Affair on Sunday, November 23rd, in person - it was a hard decision but I'm taking a workshop from a calligraphy instructor from Germany and he's not here every day!  While I won't be on site in person, I will certainly be there in spirit!  I've offered my services to Molli and a few other consultants if they have calligraphic needs (and really, doesn't everyone?)  I've also made a special offer through Bravo, every bride who registers for the show by November 14th will receive a calligraphed name tag. 

Register early and register often!!