Big thanks to New & Blue in The Pearl for their blog post about me! I've been very fortunate to have been working with Tatum and her excellent staff for a few years now. I've always had a great experience with them & their clients - and somehow always seem to come home with "something new!"
Not in Portland? Check out their website, it's H-U-G-E!
I was very fortunate this year to work with a great bride who is a fellow Massachusettsite. We've had a great time talking about things Back East, such as her fiance & his "married into it - Red Sox fan for life" tee. And we had a wonderful time putting together things for her reception.
Amy's getting married in Vegas and my thoughts turn once again to becoming a wedding crasher. Her colors are rich jewel tones, focusing primarily on red & purple. How lush!
Her blank escort cards were provided by the hotel - the writing space was a bit teeny but totally doable. These are the unfolded fronts, the table assignment is on the other side. I alternated names by the tables between red & purple, when they're all set up the color pattern will be random.
Here are the wicked* fun table numbers - I had so much fun doing them, first the number spelled out in red watercolor, then the numeral on top also in watercolor. The watercolor paper was then mounted onto a fabulous metallic purple cardstock. I want to use this cardstock for wallpaper - and I'm not even a big fan of purple.
Amy also asked me to make a sign for their guest book. Of course I had to use metallic purple ink - it's Las Vegas, baby! The phrase is in quotes because they're providing their guests with a photo guide book to Las Vegas (see! more fun! I want to go.) She provided the really lovely frame & mat, it'll be great for a wedding photo later. (I took this photo at The Bridal Loft before Amy came to pick up. If you look in the reflection you can see some of Bead Alex's gorgeous jewelry.)
Last but not least, Amy wanted me to write out quotes that she would post around the room at the reception. They ranged from the sweet A.A. Milne quote "If you live to be one hundred, I want to live to be one hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you" to the more pragmatic Groucho Marx - "I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury." Ah, the sentimentality of my homeland. The writing is in red metallic ink, mounted to purple cardstock with little gold corners.
I had a wonderful time with Amy and I think she did with me, one of her last e-mails to me said:
"Can you do calligraphy for just random things in my life, grocery lists etc, I don't want this to be over!"
Have I ever calligraphed a grocery list? No. Will I? Of course!!
*It was also fun to speak my native tongue - like using "wicked" instead of "very." I'm sure I also dropped an "r" here and there and words cannot tell you how lovely it was not to be picked on for saying "AWrange" instead of "ORange."
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!
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 ;-)
Part of this week is about an event at Zenith Vineyard. They're having a tasting this weekend, and they're showcasing tablescapes done by planners for the event. I'm honored to have been asked to contributed a few things.
This table I'm writing about today was designed by Amy Nuttman, owner of Blush Bridal Consultation Group. She sent myself and the florist an e-mail with a sample of these gorgeous linens and told us the theme was "Asian Autumn." Amy knows me soooo well, because later in that e-mail she wrote: Alesia -- I just KNOW the wheels are already spinning in your head!!! I would LOVE for you to do whatever you wish with this theme in mind! :-) My only instructions were to do place cards (maybe something with chopsticks), a table marker and a participants sign. Viola!
I LOVE this table! This linen, chocolate brown with golden chrysanthemums gives me the shivers (in a good way.) I want clothing made of of this!
A closer look takes us to this stunning floral centerpiece done by Francoise Weeks. Click on that photo, I made sure to enable the pop up so you can get a closer look - really, "stunning" keeps coming back to me time & time again. Francoise's work frequently has woodland elements, it's very Northwest! Please check out her website and blog - she teaches classes and has note cards featuring her gorgeous arrangements.
I love my #8, I wish I could take all the credit for it but I think the credit belongs to my Muse. The number is very auspicious in several Asian cultures so I knew that had to be the table marker. "8" is a very sensuous number, it's all curvy and lovely, this one with one strong stroke, the next brushy and airy. My friend Sue from the UK just this week asked about working "in the Zone" on her fb page. That "8" came from that zone - I had a stack of paper standing by to do several versions but I only needed the one. More serendipity... I walked into my favorite cheap-frames-fast boutique, Chez Dollar Store, saw those 2 and knew that was it.
When Amy said Asian theme and place cards the image of these little sleeves popped into my head. Off I trotted to Anzen, the Asian market in my neighborhood to find pretty chopsticks - then I had an idea to find chopstick holders and that mystical Zone thing - maybe The Force - was with me. See the 2 little yellow triangles at the top & bottom of the place card? They're the tips of the wings of little ceramic "origami" cranes. 1000 origami cranes are symbols of long life and good luck, who doesn't need a little more of that going for them?!
UPDATE: I get so carried away by "the pretties," I need to do a better job editing! If this re-publishes it's because I had to make a few tweeks.
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!
I'm a very lucky calligrapher this week (and it's only Monday!) It's fall and the pictures from summer weddings are coming in! I'm going to savor them and dole them out slowly, it's been hard to pick where to begin, but I finally have.
This summer I was contacted by florist Kristin Lee contacted me for some place cards for an East Indian wedding. This wedding was so phenomenal it involved a team of florists, one of whom is Francoise Weeks. Francoise and I belong to several of the same business groups and I'm thrilled I've been able to see lots of her work in person, and frequently check in on her blog. I was very excited to hear directly from her this week that she put the wedding on her blog and I'm honored that some of the place cards are on there. You really should make a habit of check out her blog, especially now for this fantastic event and the first person description.
The place cards were pinned to the big tropical leaves - the colors were chartreuse, orange and fushia to accompany the lush and vibrant floral. When Oregon is at its grayist and blusterist, I'm breakin' this photo out for a smack of color!
Hello, my little pretties! It's always the little details that are so delightful, here it's these fabulous pins! These cards are Pop Tones Sour Apple cardstock, cut with a deckle cutter, lettered with gold ink and then edged with a gold leafing pen. My big thanks to Mayzie from the SE Grand Paper Zone store for being my self-described journeyman and for doing the edging, it's gorgeous and I soooo appreciate a paper professional coming to my studio to help out!
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?!
I love the materials in this job - the feel, the colors, so lovely! I addressed the save-the-date, wedding invitation and rehearsal dinner invitation envelopes so I know this bride has impeccable taste but she still wowed me when she showed up with the materials for her wedding reception needs.
When the guests arrive at the reception they will pick up their escort cards. For anyone who's confused, escort cards can be handled a number of ways but their function is to direct guests to the right table. If there is assigned seating at each talbe then they will find a place card at their place setting. This wedding calls for both.
The bride brought me these little shimmery, opalescent metallic, appropriately the color is in fact called "opal." I wrote the guests' names on the envelope.
The little cards are business-card-size and have a wonderful texture. They're the palest pink (called "blush") and the bride stamped the image with a pewter metallic ink pad. I wrote the names on them for the place cards as well as the table numbers. (BTW, write the word "table" 100 times and it starts to looks like it's spelled wrong after about time #10.)
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 put words on things!"
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