I got an email from Melanie, our go-to florist, that she was able to get her hands on Coral peonies for an upcoming wedding we are working on.  I was thrilled, not just for this one event, but because, of all seasons of the year, this is my absolute favorite: Peony Time.  I am not one to go gaga over a flower, but the Peony IS my absolute favorite, and whether used sparingly or en-mass, it never gets old for me.  In fact, we have a pink peony explosion in the works for June and I can hardly sleep I am so excited about it… Which, I recognize is a little sick.  Fantasizing about tabletop and in-bloom flowers is a sick way to live and I need recovery.

Here are some of my favorite uses of Peony over the years…..

Simple floating peonies in footed China bowls (Dante Williams Photography); Bud vases with white peony surrounding large white tulip arrangements (Mel Barlow); Peony and wildflower mix by Saipua (Heather Waraska Photography); Peony cluster centerpieces (Warwick Brown); Pink Peony and Feather Bouquets (Karen Wise); high and low pink peony arrangements (Warwick Brown).

I never get tired of telling people that I am a native Californian. Or that I grew up in a teeny town in the Central Valley (frankly the only valley) surrounded by farmland. Xochitl and my fiance tease me about how often I can bring up a fruit reference. The thing that I miss the most about my hometown (besides the people) is being surrounded by an abundance of fruits and vegetables. My favorite time of year was always the end of summer where the tears grew peaches, apricots and nectarines. When it came time to pick wedding colors, the choice was obvious!

Now, the great thing about planning a wedding when this is your profession (and trust me there are a also a few bad things) is that I knew exactly what I wanted and who to call to help me with it. I turned to Meredith at Regas NY to help me create something unique and personal. Meredith works with us constantly and after helping us design our AAB Logo, she knows what I am drawn to and like. Now, it wasn’t easy! I knew that I wanted the invite to have the information within a “frame”, but was unsure about the pattern that I wanted surrounding it. Meredith was so patient as she presented us with a few different options. We wanted to see Mexican lace, abstract patterns and floral motifs, which all made the invite look different.

After a few rounds we were not quite sold on any pattern. While staring at all of the versions, Xochitl suggested that since we were having our ceremony at his alma mater, we should incorporate the Van Wickle Gates from my alma mater into the pattern. I feel in love as soon as I saw the design. I thought it looked a little like the human genome sequence, and that sold me! The fact that this is what it made me think of is what sold my fiance, and our invite was set!

But there was a problem. The other thing about growing up, was that everyone around me spoke Spanish. It was my first language and until I left for college, it was the main language that I spoke. It was only at school that I spoke English and Spanglish with friends. So, when it came time to choose invitations, I was at a bit of a loss. I could not accept that my invites would only be in English. However, how does one do a bi-lingual invite well? Should I make a fold over card? Should I print on both sides? Should I clutter the main invite with both versions? How to do this without making it look silly OR cleaning out the bank? Meredith presented me with the perfect option…a belly band!

The one thing that clients often have a hard time with, is the fact that when you are ordering invites you don’t get to see the actual invite before you approve your proof. This makes the process of custom very difficult for some people, as there are no versions that you can see before you order. I can tell you that as much as I loved my proof, I was blown away when the invites arrived at my door. The images below were taken with an Iphone, so they don’t quite reflect how lovely they are in person, but they exceeded my expectations.

And last but not least, I think that everything about your wedding can have a touch of your personality. Now that doesn’t mean that everything has to be expensive! I have used my lovely monogram on everything, so I decided not to use it on a stamp for the invites. Instead I choose a duo of Tejano star Selena alongside John H. Johnson, founder of Ebony and Johnson Publications.

Now, this process was a little more difficult than walking into a store and ordering out of a book, but I guarantee you that it was worth the process.

Lately, when I wonder around the city on my errands, I’m blown away by the resurgence of trends of my youth walking the streets: Doc Marten Boots, Neon Hair… And yet it’s cool to see the new spin on things that these old styles are taking AND even cooler to see how fashion will always reach back and quite literally make everything old new again… And so it is with weddings!

When Mayra and I were just starting out, the Chair Cover was all the rage… At the time they were more like white satin bags that would get a bow slapped across the back, but it was a good solution to an ugly banquet chair and a way to “whiten” out a room if a bride wanted a more “white on white” kind of look.  SO, it was actually to my own great surprise that when with one of my clients a few months ago discussing their ceremony room and the rather distracting hardwood floor in the space- I found myself suggesting a chair cover!  It was almost like I’d forgotten about an old and useful friend.   Of course, what I knew was how far the world of chair backs and chair covers had come.  It wasn’t just any chair cover I had in mind, it was a sequin chair back from Nuage… perfect for a winter wedding celebration.

It not only freshened up a kind of boring chair, but it distracted from the kind of boring floor. Chair covers needn’t only bring the glamour however, they can also be bold and fun!  I love these two patterned options, also from Nuage.

If you are into a more vintage or crafty look, these hand tied ribbon chair treatments are fantastic and fun, albeit time consuming!
I grabbed this picture from Intimate Weddings    I think it’s a fantastic way to dress up a folding chair!

If you are looking for an added bit of Glam though, look no further than these new chair covers from Cloth Connection- it’s like the sexy sister to the old fashioned white slip cover!

Hope that offered up a bit of inspiration to you as you contemplate your wedding look! Remember, a chair is like a pair of shoes on a great outfit… switching them up can make the same dress look totally different.

I think it’s because we’re working on Mayra’s wedding invitations, but I am a bit paper obsessed this week.  I can’t wait for National Stationery Show because I am sniffing a trend that we are going to see a WHOLE lot more of… and that is the RETURN OF LUXURY in invitations… I’m seeing it sneak back in in tiny details like die cut shapes and foil printing and it makes me THRILLED frankly.

In fact, what inspired today’s post was an amazing, foil printed holiday card that we received from our friend Jessica Paulen at Judy Paulen Designs that was from Spark Letterpress.   Mayra and I fell in love with Spark at NSS two years ago, and they continue to improve and expand their offerings.  Their Spark Impress line is the latest in innovative, detailed designs that are all highly customizable and SUPER versatile for any number of tastes and styles.  Here are some of my favorites.

I may have mentioned that I was going to swing by The New York Palace this past weekend for the Wedding Library/ Martha Stewart Wedding Event… It was overall a pretty lovely morning/ afternoon as I arrived early to visit with some wedding friends who were showcasing their talents and services to some of NY’s brides.

When I stopped by to visit with Margot and her husband Steven of Atelier Isabey I was thrilled with some of what I saw.  If you aren’t familiar with Atelier Isabey, they are a luxury stationer here in New York focusing largely (but not exclusively) on Custom and Couture designs.  I’ve  seen their work over the last several years, but I think that right now, it’s better than ever!  It seems strange to say, but we don’t always think about the fact that your vendors (stationer, florist, event designer) are creative people and like all people who make art, they often get better and more inspired and hit a stride. And certainly, right now, Margot has found hers.

Here is this amazing invitation that STOPPED me in my tracks for a destination wedding in Florence.   Having lived in Firenze for a bit (and gone there on a very awkward vacation with my now Ex-husband and Mayra and her now-fiance) I IMMEDIATELY knew it was Florence as soon as I saw the marble paper on the cover.  The inside, a bilingual invitation, was even more stunning with a view of the skyline one might only see from the hills of Michelangelo Square.

And here is the fabulous inspiration board.

I also loved this subtly Halloween-y, Halloween invitation. I love the black on black pattern on the outer cover… notice the little witches? And the Gothic fonts on the interior are just perfect!


Check out their website for more about their company and to see some more of their delightfully detailed invitations!.