ALESIA ZORN CALLIGRAPHY & ENGRAVING

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 ;-)

Calligraphy released in the wild

Hurray!  More professional photos!  This go-round is from David Barss.  When I first met David we had a discussion about table markers.  He usually removes them from the tables when he takes detail shots.  I was thrilled beyond the telling that not only did he leave this table marker on the table, this photo also appeared in the slideshow on his blog.  I scared the dog & cats when I saw the slideshow, I hollered out "David, you ROCK!!"  As you can now see for yourself. 

   I love the photos of all the escort cards lined up, ready to go off into the wild and have a great time!

The different colors on the escort cards are not just pretty, they serve a purpose.  This was a plated reception, the colors on the card told the servers which entree had been ordered.  On the list of nit-picky things that make me crazy, little "B"s for beef or "C"s for chicken on an escort or place card are so out of place.  There are more tasteful ways to get that idea across.

This was a very fun job, the cards are so flourishy and lovely, a big thank you goes out to Soiree Special Event Planning for sending this my way!

Danish, anyone?

No, not cheese Danish (although I'd give my eye teeth for one right now) - the language, silly!  Earlier this summer I posted about invitations I'd lettered in English and Danish.  I'm so very fortunate that my hard work ended up in the hands of excellent professionals - first Jean at Lark Press for the layout & luxurious letterpress (really, letterpress is so tactile!) and then Paul Rich Studiofor the fantastic photos and florist Kevan Inouye for the glorious floral touches.  Now I get to share that with you...

I received the loveliest thank you note:

Despite having so many odds against us (very different time zones, no face-to-face meetings, a tight time line, etc.) everything you made for us* was perfect, the process was painless and the correspondence entertaining!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Regards,

Abby & Steffan

And now I'm all teary-eyed again.

*Everything also included program covers, menus and escort cards.  Did I think to take a picture before I sent them packing to Denmark?  No, of course not.  I think I'll have a cheese danish to console myself.

Good Times For A Good Cause

Howdy, Cowpokes!  It's time for Sisters Of The Road's annual Hoedown!  The big event is Friday night, tickets are almost sold out so you'd better get a move on!

Sisters Of The Road is one of my favorite charities.  You can find their mission statement here .  What touches my heart is that they not only look to feed people today, they actively work on finding solutions for poverty and homelessness with a serious, yet gentle and nourishing approach.

If you can't mosey down to the Hoedown, they're in the midst of the fundraiser celebraing their 30th birthday.  They're looking for 1000 $30 donations.  I'm lifting this straight from their website:

At Sisters Of The Road, we know these are economically challenging times. Demand in our cafe is up, and we anticipate fewer local services & supports for those experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty. In these times, Sisters’ work is more important than ever, and we couldn’t do our critical work without your support.

If everyone who was able donated $30 for our 30th Anniversary we would be financially secure for 2009 and heading into the future. We know not everyone can and many of you already give in diverse ways—thank you! $30 from EACH of us who can possibly spare it is all it takes. Thank you for believing in our community and systemic solutions—you make our work possible every day! Donate to Sisters’ 30th Anniversary Fund.

I just did it because I can't be there Friday.  I double-dog dare you to match my donation.  Yup, double-dog dare, I am not messing around!

Keep Sisters in mind for a Planned Giving Donation.    I designed this certificate for those who do planned giving donations and I'd be thrilled to pieces to make you one when I see your name on the list from Executive Director Monica!

A million thanks to Paul Rich Studio for the beautiful pictures!  Especially the close up of these words:  When I despair, I remember all through history the way of truth and love has always won. - Mahatma Gandhi

*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!

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.

Bravo Wedding Affair - Feb 22, 2009

This coming Sunday is the next Bravo Wedding Affair.  It's a fantastic bridal show held at the Embassy Suites Downtown Portland.  Each ballroom and meeting room is assigned to a consultant who decorates their room with the assistance of the vendors in their room.  It's always so much fun to watch them create their visions!

At last November's show I did some work for Molli at Soiree Special Event Planning.  Her room's theme was "Hidden Garden".  I love Molli, some of my most exciting and creative projects have come from her and this was no exception - using birch bark as a place card/napkin ring and as a table number.  It's always a thrill to see how Molli incorporates my work into her overall design.  

These fantastic photos come from the generous and talented David of davidbarssphotographer.com  Make sure when you visit his website you see more of his wonderful work on his blog!      

   

Mother-of-the-Bride we love

I got to work with the nicest, most organized Mother-of-the-Bride on the planet.  Really, I challenge you to find someone better.  She was so super sweet when we met and she handed over the escort card and her color-coded seating list, organized alphabetically, by table and then by table and seat number.  It was AMAZING!

The escort cards were gorgeous, I loved working on them.  The came from New & Blue, a wedding shop with a storefront in The Pearl in Portland and a fantastic on-line presence.  The lettering was monoline formal script.  The photo graciously comes from Jasmine Photography. 

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!!