Alesia Zorn Calligraphy

*That's* what I'm talking about!

In mid-June I has a post about place cards & programs I did for a wonderful client.  As often happens, the photos are done by me with my remedial digital camera and my remedial skills.  I make no bones about being the perfect advertisement for why one should hire a professional photographer for their event instead of using their uncle/cousin/best college bud/remedial-skilled laborer.  There's a reason they're called "professional."

Here are photos from the actual wedding, the photos generously shared by Paul Rich Studio.  I happily share them with you so you can contrast and compare.   Truly, hire a professional photographer - as well as a professional calligrapher, of course!!

See? and once my work is released into the wild there are lovely touches, like rose petals!

And I completely forgot about the table numbers!  (I'm becoming militant about table markers, there's a post on that building up inside me ;-)

Again, my work looks so much better after it's been released into its natural habitat (and this habitat was coordinated by A Swank Affair - and they aren't kidding when they say "events with style.")

The wedding ceremony was held at The Grotto here in Portland.  I had to share this breathtaking photo with you just 'cuz... really, how beautiful is this?!

Programs and place cards!

I've really enjoyed this job I've done for a client of A Swank Affair.  The consultant has been fabulous to work with and the bride has been delightful and on top of everything!  As always, it's bittersweet to do the programs and items for the reception because that's usually the end of my contact with them - unless, as one bride pointed out, someday they'll be back for baby announcements!

Here are the programs, all printed up, nestled snugly in their box and ready to go.

Earlier this year I learned this script to match a font a bride used on her wedding invitations.  The script has become a popular choice this year but it needed a new name.  The font is called "Mea Culpa" which traditionally means "I confess" but today is the equivalent of "my bad."  Nobody wants that connected with their special event!  So my name for the script I provide is "Flourished Formal Script."  It may not seem like much to you but it's taken me awhile to come up with it. 

My last act for Gretchen & Jason was their place cards.  Gretchen provided them, they're darling and I must find out where she got them!

As always, the photos I take with my digital point & pale shoot such as these really serve as an advertisement for the wonderful, professional photographers who share their art with me.  You can find their hotlinks all throughout my blog and website.  Call the  Don't let some yahoo record your most important events!

I miss this bride!

I'm so excited!  I got a disk of photos from Stewart Harvey & Associates loaded up in the computer.  They're beautiful photos from the wedding of a delightful bride I had the pleasure of working with from her save the dates in November through the wedding this spring.  The photos are of the work I did for the wedding and reception...

   I designed a monogram to be used for the elements needed the day of the wedding.  These are the programs for the church.  The monogram was printed on a sheet of vellum, the program on text weight paper and the two tied together with the ribbon.  I provided the camera-ready artwork, the bride took care of the rest.

The monogram made it onto the menu as well.  If you've read past posts, this is the menu that featured my newest obsession, lavendar-pear cake.  The lettering for the menu is the flourished formal script I've been working on this year, in the monoline option.  I used it for the names of the menu items, but did not use the flourishes in the item description to help keep things more legible.

I also did the table numbers and escort cards, seen below.

I really enjoyed working with this bride and after working together so many months, I miss her!  The last time I saw her she gave me a big hug and said she's see me again, someday she'll need baby announcements.  I'm ready for her!

Calligraphy Going Green & Going Green is Delicious!

I've discussed in other posts what a killer working on menus is - the difficulty isn't the work itself, it's being so focused on the food!  Every once in a great while I get to work on a menu for an event I actually get to attend - this is one of those stories!

This month, our ISES (International Special Events Society) local chapter held our meeting at the gorgeous LEEDS certified Buchan Reception Hall at The First Unitarian Church.  The food was beyond incredible - big thanks to Mark Lopez from Crave Catering (appetizer), Max Popejoy from Celebrate Catering (salad), Grace Pae from Artemis Foods (entrée) and Rob Leon from Phresh Organic Catering (dessert).  Our meeting host Mathew Weber of A Swank Affair was very fun.

For this meeting I provided the name tags and programs.  The name tags and program covers were printed on 100% recycled paper (70% mill pulp, 30% post consumer waste -aka pcw).  The pages of the program were printed on 100% pcw recycled paper.  The programs were tied with hemp twine that I waxed prior to sewing (eco friendly and smells deeeevine.)

For the name tags I tried to feature several eco-friendly mediums - walnut ink, which is either made from walnuts or, the one I use, is made from peat (you know, composting plant life); sumi ink and lapis lazuli paint. 

Big thanks to Dwayne Thomas, president of Hollywood Lighting for this photo as I foolishly forgot my camera.